IndiGo must prove it can operate 2,000 daily flights post-February
IndiGo, India's biggest airline, has to show aviation authorities this week that it can keep running over 2,000 flights a day after February 10—when a special rule letting its A320 pilots fly more hours ends.
If IndiGo can't prove it's ready, the government will force them to cut back flights to avoid another travel mess like December 2025, when mass cancelations left about 300,000 people stranded.
Why was December so chaotic?
New rules kicked in in December 2025 requiring pilots to get more rest and work fewer hours.
Airlines needed more pilots fast—something IndiGo didn't plan for, leading to huge disruptions.
The DGCA hit IndiGo with a record ₹22.2 crore fine and told them to cut flights by 10% until March 2026.
What happens next?
IndiGo is now testing new crew schedules and sharing hiring updates with regulators. They'll begin rostering crews ahead of Feb 10, 2026, as per the stricter pilot rules.
Meanwhile, DGCA officials are closely monitoring the airline and have set up an oversight team to get regular updates.