DGCA reviews IndiGo disruptions as airline experiences higher than normal flight cancellations; operations to normalise by Feb 2026

New Delhi [India], December 4 (ANI): The Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Thursday held a detailed review meeting under the chairmanship of the Director General (CA) with the senior leadership of IndiGo in view of the significant operational disruptions reported across the airline's network since late November 2025.
IndiGo has been experiencing a sharp rise in cancellations, reaching approximately 170-200 flights per day, which is substantially higher than normal.
The situation was examined on Thursday by the Civil Aviation Minister along with senior officials of the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), the Airport Authority of India (AAI), and IndiGo, according to a DGCA press note.
During a detailed review meeting, the DGCA found that IndiGo's operational breakdowns stemmed from transitional challenges in implementing Phase 2 of the revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms, crew-planning gaps, and winter-season constraints. The revised fatigue-management rules, enforced following court directions, came into effect in two stages, July 1 and November 1, 2025.
As per the press note, IndiGo admitted that it had misjudged crew requirements under the new FDTL regulations, resulting in shortages, especially during night-time operations where most available slots now fall.
The airline has sought temporary operational exemptions from specific FDTL provisions for its A320 fleet until February 10, 2026. It has assured regulators that full operational stability will be restored by that date, though further cancellations are expected over the next two to three days as schedules are realigned.
"To reduce passenger inconvenience while maintaining safety margins, IndiGo has requested operational variations/exemptions from specific FDTL provisions para 3.11(Definition of Night Duty) and 6.1.4 (for operations encroaching night duty) for A320 operations up to 10th February 2026. IndiGo has assured DGCA that corrective actions are underway and that normalised and stable operations will be fully restored by 10 February 2026," the press note stated.
DGCA inspections at major airports, including Delhi's Terminal 1, revealed the Airline's inadequate passenger-handling manpower, prompting orders for immediate reinforcement.
"The team observed that IndiGo's passenger-handling manpower was inadequate to manage disruption-induced crowding. The airline has been instructed to urgently increase manpower and strengthen passenger-support services at all affected terminals," the press note said.
IndiGo has been mandated to submit a comprehensive roadmap for crew recruitment, training, roster restructuring, and safety-risk assessments, along with fortnightly progress reports.
"IndiGo shall submit a detailed roadmap covering projected crew recruitment viz a viz induction of aircraft which shall be reviewed by DGCA. Plan for crew training, roster restructuring, safety-risk assessments, and mitigation measures leading to full compliance with immediate effect. Mitigation Plan for Current Disruptions: The airline shall outline immediate steps to stabilize operations and ensure a progressive reduction in cancellations. Fortnightly Progress Reports: A detailed progress report must be submitted every 15 days, covering operational improvements, crew availability, and roster stability. Indigo is directed to submit the FDTL relaxations required to normalize the flight operations for DGCA review," the DGCA stated in its note. (ANI)