Govt suspends new pilot duty rules to resolve IndiGo crisis [Photo: X]
India’s aviation sector faced one of its toughest days this week as IndiGo’s massive flight cancellations triggered nationwide disruption. With passengers stranded across major airports, the government stepped in with urgent measures to bring the situation under control.
Officials now say that the worst should ease soon, as emergency steps taken on Friday are expected to help IndiGo return to normal operations by Monday.
The government on Friday suspended the newly introduced pilot duty regulations to ease the ongoing crisis at IndiGo. The pause of the flight duty time limitation (FDTL) rules came after hundreds of flights were cancelled or delayed, leaving thousands of passengers stranded. The authorities now expect IndiGo’s operations to return to normal by Monday.
The disruption began after the regulatory body DGCA enforced stricter rules under the revised FDTL framework. These rules extended mandatory rest periods for pilots, limited night-flying duties, and changed rostering requirements.
According to DGCA and IndiGo officials, the airline underestimated the number of crews needed under the new norms. This miscalculation collided with winter-season pressures, leading to a severe shortage of available pilots for many flights.
On Friday, DGCA granted IndiGo a one-time temporary exemption from key FDTL provisions. The regulator withdrew the restriction that prevented the substitution of “leave” for “weekly rest”. It also lifted night-duty limits for IndiGo’s A320 fleet, aiming to ease crew rostering pressures quickly.
The aviation ministry stated it took this step “in the interest of passengers, especially senior citizens, students, patients, and others who rely on timely air travel for essential needs.”
Along with regulatory changes, the government ordered airlines to improve communication with stranded passengers. Airlines must now provide timely updates on flight status, and automatically issue refunds for cancelled flights, without requiring passengers to apply.
Additionally, those affected by long delays should receive hotel accommodation, meals, and special assistance where needed. Officials have also deployed a 24×7 control room to monitor airports across the country and coordinate passenger support.
The government and DGCA have directed IndiGo to submit a detailed corrective plan and a roster-stability roadmap soon. The airline must also scale up crew availability and improve scheduling to prevent future disruption.
Authorities say they expect the airline’s schedule to start stabilising by tomorrow, and full flight normalcy by Monday — provided the new directives are implemented without delay.
The coming days will be critical: if crew shortages are resolved and operations stabilise, the worst of the crisis may end soon. Airlines and regulators are under pressure to rebuild trust and ensure smooth, reliable travel for passengers across India.
