DGCA blinks, relaxes Pilot norms after IndiGo’s debacle leaves passengers suffering 

India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has granted a temporary relaxation on the enforcement of specific Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) provisions for IndiGo’s A320 fleet operations.  

This move comes in the wake of significant operational disruption faced by the airline, including the cancellation of hundreds of flight services across major routes like Delhi, Mumbai, and Chennai. The exemption gives the airline a window to stabilize its operations and implement comprehensive corrective actions, without any mention of penal measures imposed or recompense for suffering passengers 

The DGCA’s decision to offer this temporary reprieve is an acknowledgment of the widespread industry challenge in fully aligning operations with the updated FDTL regulations, which are aimed at mitigating pilot fatigue and enhancing air safety. IndiGo has provided assurance to the regulator that normalized and stable operations will be fully restored by February 2026. 

What is the FDTL? 

The FDTL regulations represent a critical safety framework setting strict limits on pilots’ duty periods, flight hours, the number of night landings permitted, and mandated minimum rest periods. These rules are essential for preventing fatigue-related safety risks, particularly as India’s air travel market expands rapidly.  

The updated regulations were rolled out in phases, with full implementation originally aimed for November 1, 2025. 

Major changes mandated under the revised FDTL norms include: 

• Increasing the required weekly rest period for pilots to a continuous 48 hours  

• Expanding the definition of the critical “night time” period to be determined as 00:00 to 06:00, rather than the earlier 00:00 to 05:00 definition 

• Imposing tighter restrictions on night operations, limiting pilots to no more than two continuous night duties and setting a lower limit of two night landings instead of the previous six. 

• Requiring mandatory schedule revisions and the submission of quarterly fatigue reports by airlines. 

The recent operational turmoil at IndiGo highlights the pressure points created by the transition to these stricter safety guidelines when pursuing profit above all else. While the DGCA maintains a safety-first approach, the relaxation offers IndiGo the necessary flexibility to manage its crew roster and address scheduling conflicts without resorting to mass flight cancellations that severely impact domestic air traffic.  

The granted exemption for A320 operations underscores the immediate need to stabilize the airline’s busiest segment while the underlying structural adjustments to crew management and resource allocation are finalized.