Following days of severe disruption caused by IndiGo flight cancellations across major airports, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday rolled back the newly introduced weekly roster rule related to pilot rest.
This decision came after the airline cancelled more than 1,000 flights in just four days. The cancellations hit major centres like Delhi, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, where hundreds of arrivals and departures were dropped one after another.
Regulator Cites Need for Operational Stability
The DGCA, in its notification, stated: “In view of the ongoing operational disruptions and representations received from various airlines regarding the need to ensure continuity and stability of operations, the instruction contained in the referenced paragraph that no leave shall be substituted for weekly rest is hereby withdrawn with immediate effect.”
IndiGo Grounds Flights in Delhi and Chennai
IndiGo also suspended all flights from Delhi until midnight and from Chennai until 6 PM. The airline, based in Gurugram, said that a “multitude of unforeseen operational challenges” led to the chaos. These included minor technical issues, changes in the winter schedule, airport congestion, and poor weather.
New FDTL Rules Triggered the Collapse, Say Experts
However, industry experts and aviation officials point out that the real cause was the rollout of the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) — new regulations for pilot rest and working hours meant to reduce fatigue.
On Thursday, the airline admitted to regulators that its system collapsed due to “misjudgment and planning gaps” in adjusting to the crew fatigue norms, even though it had two years to prepare. The crisis pushed IndiGo’s on-time performance (OTP) down to a historic low of 8.5%. IndiGo currently controls 60% of India’s domestic airline market.
Inside IndiGo’s Breakdown
IndiGo operates more than 2,200 flights daily — nearly twice the number run by Air India. This scale means even a small planning error can turn into a massive disruption. If just 10% of its schedule is disturbed, between 200 and 400 flights are hit, leaving thousands of passengers stuck.
Major Airports Report Heavy Cancellations
On Friday alone, Delhi saw 135 departures and 90 arrivals cancelled. Bengaluru Airport cancelled 52 arrivals and 50 departures, while Hyderabad recorded 92 cancellations the same day.
600+ Flights Cancelled Nationwide in 48 Hours
Across the country, more than 600 flights were scrapped in 48 hours the worst operational collapse in the 20-year history of the airline.
Also Read: IndiGo Crisis Deepens: Passengers Left Stranded as Over 500 Flights Cancelled