As IndiGo continues to grapple with widespread operational disruptions and an unusually high number of daily cancellations, the airline has approached the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for temporary exemptions from certain Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms for its A320 fleet.
According to a DGCA statement, IndiGo has requested these relaxations until February 10, 2026, and has assured the regulator that full operational stability will be restored by that date.
Following a high-level review meeting chaired by the DGCA on Thursday, the aviation regulator confirmed that IndiGo sought “operational variations or exemptions from specific FDTL provisions for A320 operations up to February 10, 2026.” The airline told the DGCA that corrective actions are already underway.
IndiGo is currently cancelling about 170–200 flights per day, a figure significantly higher than normal. The DGCA said its assessment found that the disruptions stemmed from multiple factors: transition challenges during the rollout of Phase 2 of the revised FDTL regulations, shortcomings in crew planning, and winter-season operational constraints. These updated fatigue-management guidelines—implemented in two phases on July 1 and November 1, 2025—were introduced following court directions.
During the meeting, IndiGo acknowledged that it had underestimated the crew strength required under the new duty-time norms, leading to shortages—particularly for night-time operations, where most available slots now fall.
DGCA inspections at major airports, including Delhi’s Terminal 1, also highlighted insufficient passenger-handling manpower at IndiGo counters. The regulator said the airline has been ordered to immediately reinforce ground staff to manage crowding and support affected passengers.
The DGCA has now directed IndiGo to submit a detailed action plan addressing several key areas:
- Crew recruitment and training, aligned with aircraft induction
- Roster restructuring to meet FDTL obligations
- Safety-risk assessments and mitigation steps
- Immediate measures to stabilise operations and reduce cancellations
- Fortnightly progress reports outlining improvements in crew availability and operational reliability
“IndiGo shall submit a detailed roadmap covering projected crew recruitment vis-à-vis induction of aircraft… mitigation measures leading to full compliance with immediate effect,” the DGCA said. The airline has also been instructed to specify the FDTL relaxations it requires so that the DGCA can review them.
Earlier in the day, IndiGo issued a public apology to passengers and industry stakeholders for the disruptions.
