India Aviation Alert: Has IndiGo’s flight crisis now become a national disaster? 550+ flights cancelled, pilot shortage and FDTL rules paralyze operations. Will DGCA give relief till February 10?
New Delhi. The difficulties faced by air travelers in the country are continuously increasing. IndiGo flight cancellation 2025 now seems to be turning into India’s biggest operational crisis. According to the information received on Wednesday and Thursday, Indigo canceled more than 550 flights, whereas till Friday this figure remained around 300. DGCA and Civil Aviation Ministry have called the situation serious and have continuously sought answers from the airline. The airline has admitted that after the start of the second phase of the new FDTL rules (Flight Duty Time Limitation), their planning was lacking, due to which they had to suddenly cut the schedule.
How much share of India’s domestic air traffic does IndiGo handle?
IndiGo, which alone handles 60% of India’s total domestic air traffic, is facing its most challenging situation today. The question is whether this problem is only due to the change in rules, or is there a big mistake in operation management hidden behind it?
Is the biggest flight disruption in India’s aviation history happening?
IndiGo has admitted that it will be difficult to completely normalize operations before February 10, 2026. The estimation of such a long period raises the question whether IndiGo is going through its biggest management crisis?
What exemption did IndiGo ask from DGCA and why?
The airline has sought temporary relaxation in FDTL rules for the A320 fleet from the DGCA. These are the same rules under which the number of hours a pilot can fly, the limit on night landings, and the rest time between flights are decided. As soon as the new rules were implemented, the availability of pilots decreased and IndiGo did not have as much crew as was required to run its huge fleet.
Did the shortage of pilots worsen the situation?
Indigo’s figures clearly show that in December
- Captains Available: 2,357
- Need: 2,422
- First Officer Available: 2,194
- Need: 2,153
After the implementation of FDTL Phase-2, the need for pilots suddenly increased, but IndiGo did not increase recruitment. The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) itself alleges that despite two years of preparation time, the airline had imposed an “unnecessary hiring freeze”.
Will DGCA take strict action against the airline?
DGCA has told IndiGo:
- Give progress report every 15 days
- Increase staff and ground team
- Develop a new training and crew model
- Restructure the schedule
DGCA also described IndiGo’s passenger-handling team as “grossly deficient” during the Terminal 1 inspection.
Will DGCA give relaxation to IndiGo in FDTL rules?
This is the biggest question of this entire crisis. If DGCA grants relaxation, IndiGo can resume normal operations quickly. But if the relaxation is not granted, more flights may be canceled in the coming weeks. DGCA has just said that it is “real-time monitoring” the situation.
How will the next 10 days be for travelers?
According to the airline, the number of flights will be reduced. The schedule will be adjusted. More flights will be canceled till December 8, meaning travelers will have to be cautious.
Will fares increase? Will the situation get worse for passengers?
Due to cancellation, fares have doubled in many cities. Officials have warned that no airline should create “artificial inflation”. But Indigo itself is saying that more flights will be canceled in the next 2–3 days. IndiGo’s crisis exposes not just a “technical or staffing lapse”, but a deep lapse in airline operation planning. The coming 10–12 days may be more difficult for passengers.