The root of the turmoil lies in the second phase of tighter pilot-rostering norms rolled out by DGCA on November 1. Key changes require pilots to take a minimum weekly rest of 48 hours, sharply restrict night-landings to two per roster cycle, and broaden the “night duty” window from 00:00–05:00 to 00:00–06:00. For a carrier like IndiGo — which operates one of the largest and densest flight networks in Asia — the regulations instantly narrowed roster-planning flexibility and squeezed crew availability.
According to DGCA data, IndiGo cancelled 1,232 flights in November, of which 755 were directly attributed to crew and FDTL constraints. The airline’s dependence on high-frequency, late-night and early-morning rotations made its operations especially vulnerable once the new norms took effect.
An internal acknowledgement from IndiGo admits “misjudgment and planning gaps” as the central cause of the crew shortfall. The airline has sought from DGCA a temporary waiver for its A320 fleet that would ease night-duty and landing caps until February 10, arguing that this will help restore stability while preserving safety margins.
DGCA, however, has pushed back. The regulator rejected IndiGo’s initial explanation for the crisis and demanded a time-bound mitigation plan. It emphasised that compliance with the new duty norms is non-negotiable, and crew planning remains the responsibility of the airline. Meanwhile a high-level meeting held with senior IndiGo officials and DGCA leadership has been followed by a directive to scale down scheduled flights from December 8 to limit further disruption.
Passengers continue to bear the brunt. Several travellers at airports have reported extended delays, long queues and abrupt cancellations — with many flights cancelled at short notice. Some have described the experience as “mental torture.” While IndiGo has issued an apology and pledged to restore full operations by February, uncertainty persists.
Industry experts warn that the crisis reflects a deeper structural challenge for airlines in India’s fast-expanding aviation market. The stricter FDTL rules are unlikely to be rolled back permanently, meaning carriers will need to ramp up hiring, redesign rosters more conservatively, or permanently trim high-frequency night-heavy operations. For IndiGo, long regarded as a high-utilisation, low-cost carrier dedicated to dense scheduling, this could mark a paradigm shift in how it manages capacity and crew deployment.