New Delhi: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday granted IndiGo a series of temporary exemptions from recently introduced crew fatigue rules, marking a dramatic escalation in the ongoing operational crisis that has disrupted air travel across India for four consecutive days. The decision comes as the country’s largest airline cancels over 1,600 flights since Tuesday, stranding tens of thousands of passengers and igniting public outrage at airports nationwide.

The DGCA’s intervention provides a one-time relief from provisions limiting pilot duty hours at night, a regulation first introduced in January 2024 but enforced from November 1 this year. According to the regulator, the exemption, valid until February 10, is aimed solely at facilitating operational stabilisation and does not constitute a relaxation of safety standards. The agency also emphasised that it will closely monitor IndiGo’s remedial measures and investigate the underlying causes of the operational breakdown.

Beyond easing night duty limitations, the DGCA allowed the airline to redeploy pilots who had been on deputation with the regulator as flight operations inspectors back to active flying duties. Additionally, it withdrew a provision preventing airlines from counting pilot leave as part of weekly rest periods to comply with Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL). The regulator stressed that these steps are a one-time facilitation to stabilise operations during the crisis and reiterated that safety remains paramount.

Despite these regulatory concessions, IndiGo’s operations on Friday remained heavily disrupted. The airline cancelled the majority of its flights from India’s busiest airports, including Delhi, Chennai, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad, as well as from smaller regional airports such as Kanpur, Itanagar, Deoghar, and Khajuraho, where the carrier is often the sole medium-haul service provider. The cumulative cancellations since the crisis began on Tuesday have exceeded 1,600 flights, representing more than half of IndiGo’s daily operations and affecting an estimated 200,000 passengers.

In a video message to customers, CEO Pieter Elbers acknowledged the scale of the disruption and admitted that previous mitigation measures had proven insufficient. “Earlier measures of the last few days have proven not to be enough. So we decided today for a reboot of all our systems and schedules, resulting in the highest number of cancellations so far, but imperative for progressive improvements starting tomorrow onwards,” he said. Elbers projected that cancellations would fall below 1,000 on Saturday and anticipated a return to normal operations between December 10 and 15.

IndiGo’s on-time performance on Thursday, when 300–400 flights were cancelled, had fallen to a dismal 8.5%, highlighting the severity of the operational meltdown. The airline attributed the crisis to a combination of planning shortfalls, software failures in crew rostering systems, and technical glitches in baggage handling infrastructure at Delhi’s Terminal 1 and Terminal 3, which exacerbated delays and compounded passenger frustration.

The Airline Pilots Association of India (APAI), representing over 6,000 pilots, expressed grave concerns over the DGCA’s decision to grant selective exemptions to IndiGo. The association warned that such measures “gravely compromise the safety of the flying public” and undermine the spirit of the FDTL framework, which was designed to combat pilot fatigue and align with global aviation standards. The APAI cited systemic mismanagement on IndiGo’s part, including a hiring freeze, non-poaching agreements with other carriers, and a pay freeze for pilots, as evidence of short-sighted operational planning.

The crisis has triggered widespread outrage among passengers. Social media platforms have been flooded with images and videos of stranded travellers, with some sharing clips of confrontations at airport counters. In one incident at Kochi airport, a passenger was seen slamming the counter facade in protest. International travellers were not spared, with Singapore’s High Commissioner to India, Simon Wong, reporting on X that he was stranded and unable to attend a personal engagement in Deoghar due to flight cancellations.

Operational difficulties at IndiGo are compounded by its aggressive capacity expansion strategy. The airline’s winter schedule for the current season includes 15,014 weekly departures, averaging 2,145 flights per day—a 9.6% increase over the previous winter schedule of 13,691 weekly flights. While the expansion was intended to capture growing market demand, the lack of operational slack left the airline vulnerable to regulatory changes and unexpected disruptions.

The FDTL regulations, which are central to the current crisis, increased mandatory weekly rest periods for pilots from 36 to 48 hours and restricted night-time landings to two per week, down from six. These rules, aimed at reducing fatigue and ensuring flight safety, had been repeatedly deferred at the request of airlines, including IndiGo. The sudden enforcement without adequate internal preparation has been cited as a major factor behind the mass cancellations.

Civil aviation minister Ram Mohan Naidu convened high-level meetings and monitored the situation through a 24×7 control room. The ministry announced the formation of a four-member DGCA committee, led by joint director general Sanjay K. Bramhane, to conduct an independent review of the operational collapse. The panel is tasked with identifying accountability and responsibility for the failures and will submit its findings within 15 days to enable regulatory enforcement. Its mandate includes evaluating manpower planning, rostering systems, compliance with FDTL norms, and steps being taken by IndiGo to restore normal operations.

In addition to the exemptions, the DGCA authorised the temporary redeployment of 12 Flight Operations Inspectors, who were on deputation from IndiGo, back to flying duties for a period of 7–10 days. The regulator emphasised that all measures are intended to stabilise operations and reiterated the importance of strict adherence to safety standards.

Financial markets reacted sharply to the crisis. Shares of InterGlobe Aviation, IndiGo’s parent company, fell by 7.3% over four trading days, eroding approximately ₹16,190 crore in market capitalization. The stock closed at ₹5,367.50 on the National Stock Exchange on Friday, down 1.27% for the day, having intraday swings of more than 3%. Analysts warned that prolonged operational disruptions could have lasting reputational and financial consequences for the airline.

Industry experts note that IndiGo’s current crisis exposes the vulnerabilities of its low-cost, efficiency-driven business model, which relies heavily on minimal operational slack. The combination of aggressive expansion, deferred regulatory compliance, and systemic under-preparation has created a situation where even minor disruptions cascade into widespread operational paralysis.

Elbers acknowledged the airline’s past mistakes, stating, “I do understand that these disruptions have caused much discomfort to our customers and have shaken their belief in IndiGo’s reliability carefully built over the past 19 years.” He expressed confidence that with the DGCA’s support and the internal operational reset, the airline would stabilise by mid-December.

The crisis highlights the tension between regulatory compliance and operational capacity in India’s rapidly expanding aviation market. As airlines balance cost efficiency, market growth, and safety standards, the IndiGo episode serves as a cautionary tale for carriers operating under tight resource constraints. While the DGCA’s temporary exemptions provide immediate relief, the committee’s upcoming findings are expected to determine whether further corrective action, including fines or stricter oversight, will be necessary.

For passengers, the immediate priority remains restoration of flights and timely communication. Many continue to rely on alternative carriers, train travel, and last-minute accommodations, highlighting the broader logistical challenges posed by large-scale disruptions in India’s domestic aviation sector.

As the holiday season and winter travel peaks continue, the unfolding IndiGo crisis underscores the critical importance of preparedness, contingency planning, and adherence to regulatory standards in safeguarding operational reliability and passenger safety. The coming days will be pivotal in determining whether IndiGo can recover operationally while maintaining the confidence of the millions of passengers who rely on its services daily.

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