IndiGo says it's ready for new pilot rules—no more flight chaos?
IndiGo just told India's aviation regulator (DGCA) it has enough pilots to keep flights running smoothly, even after DGCA exemptions for IndiGo expire on February 10, 2026, after which it must fully comply with the FDTL provisions already in force.
The airline says it can handle over 2,200 daily flights—even with stricter limits on night shifts and longer rest times; the DGCA gave a breakdown of 2,280 captains and 2,050 first officers.
What went wrong before—and what's changing now?
Last December, IndiGo faced a meltdown—over 4,000 flights were canceled in just nine days after new pilot fatigue rules rolled out.
The DGCA blamed IndiGo for poor planning and tech glitches that left around 3 lakh passengers stranded.
As a result, the airline got hit with record fines totaling ₹22.2 crore for breaking duty-time rules.
So what's next?
Now, the DGCA is watching IndiGo closely—checking schedules every week and making sure top execs stick to the new safety rules.
With these changes and extra eyes on them, both flyers and crew are hoping for smoother skies ahead.