New Delhi: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has intensified its scrutiny of IndiGo Airlines in the wake of last December’s massive flight cancellations, officials said, as the regulator seeks to ensure that India’s largest carrier has sufficient crew to maintain operations after February 10. The step comes after a record fine and warnings were issued to top executives, signaling the government’s determination to prevent a repeat of the operational chaos that stranded over 300,000 passengers across the country.

IndiGo, which operates more than 2,200 flights daily, faced unprecedented disruption in the first week of December 2025, when it cancelled more than 5,000 flights. The airline cited pilot shortages, attributed to stricter rest requirements under the revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) framework. The DGCA inquiry, however, revealed that the airline’s aggressive cost-cutting and focus on maximizing crew and aircraft utilization were the root causes of the operational meltdown.

On Saturday, January 18, 2026, the DGCA imposed a record fine of ₹22.2 crore on IndiGo and issued formal warnings to six senior executives, including the chief operating officer. Officials close to the matter confirmed that the civil aviation ministry has directed the airline to continue submitting weekly compliance reports detailing crew availability, rostering practices, and operational readiness. The DGCA, in turn, is maintaining daily monitoring during the three-month relaxation period under the revised FDTL rules, which runs until February 10.

“The airline, on the direction of the ministry, is submitting weekly compliance reports, and this will continue even after the penalty has been imposed,” said a ministry official. Another official emphasized that operational oversight is ongoing, and the regulator is actively ensuring that IndiGo can maintain safe and reliable flight schedules under the new norms.

To support this effort, the DGCA has deployed an eight-member oversight team of senior flight operations inspectors to monitor the airline’s day-to-day functioning. As per a DGCA order issued on December 10, two members of this team are stationed daily at IndiGo’s corporate office in Gurugram. Their responsibilities include monitoring cockpit and cabin crew availability, reviewing rostering procedures, and verifying standby crew strength. This team will remain in place until the February 10 compliance deadline.

In addition to operational monitoring, the DGCA set up a four-member investigative committee to probe the causes of the mass cancellations. While the committee submitted its report to the ministry on December 26, 2025, its findings have not been publicly disclosed. Sources said that, depending on the committee’s recommendations and further regulatory decisions, IndiGo could face additional financial penalties or even structural changes in its senior management team.

Passenger compensation and refunds have also been a focus. Under the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR), Section 3, Series M, Part IV, travelers affected by cancellations or delays are entitled to specific compensation. Officials indicated that the DGCA is actively engaging with IndiGo to ensure these obligations are met, though questions remain about whether enforcement has adequately reflected the scale of inconvenience experienced by passengers, many of whom missed weddings, exams, and other time-sensitive commitments.

Industry experts have noted gaps in IndiGo’s publicly communicated plans for crew recruitment and ongoing compliance oversight, cautioning that financial penalties alone may not be enough to deter future operational lapses. With the February 10 deadline for full adherence to Phase II of the FDTL norms approaching, the government’s priority is to ensure operational stability while maintaining safety standards, even as regulatory scrutiny continues.

DGCA officials stress that the airline’s recovery and compliance efforts are being closely watched to prevent recurrence of large-scale disruptions. They highlight that the December crisis was not just a question of pilot availability, but also systemic deficiencies in rostering, workload management, and contingency planning. The regulator’s continuous oversight aims to address these structural challenges, ensuring that IndiGo’s operations remain both safe and reliable for passengers nationwide.

Meanwhile, IndiGo is reported to be making adjustments to its winter schedule, including a 10% reduction in flights, and developing a roadmap to achieve full compliance with the revised FDTL norms. The airline is under close supervision to ensure that these changes do not compromise flight safety, crew welfare, or passenger convenience.

The December incident and subsequent regulatory actions underscore the delicate balance airlines must strike between operational efficiency and regulatory compliance. The DGCA’s proactive measures, including fines, warnings, and daily operational monitoring, reflect an approach that prioritizes passenger safety and reliability over short-term cost optimization.

As the FDTL relaxation period comes to a close, the aviation ministry and DGCA will continue to evaluate IndiGo’s performance. Officials say that the lessons from December are likely to shape broader industry practices, including stricter oversight of scheduling, crew management, and contingency planning across India’s rapidly growing aviation sector.

The government’s emphasis remains clear: while financial penalties serve as immediate accountability, sustained operational monitoring, enforcement of duty time norms, and transparent reporting are critical to preventing systemic failures and ensuring that passengers can rely on India’s busiest airline.

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