New Delhi: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday withdrew its earlier instructions mandating airlines to provide compulsory weekly rest for crew members. The move comes amid unprecedented operational disruptions across India’s aviation sector, triggered largely by IndiGo, which has cancelled over 500 flights in the last few days, stranding thousands of passengers nationwide.
In a notification issued on Friday, the DGCA said the directive had been withdrawn “with immediate effect” after multiple airlines raised concerns about maintaining continuity and stability in their operations. The aviation regulator cited “ongoing operational disruptions” and strong representations from carriers who requested flexibility in crew rostering as key reasons for the rollback.
The earlier rule prevented airlines from replacing mandatory weekly rest with leave, limiting the ability to redeploy pilots and cabin crew during staff shortages or unexpected operational surges. After the rule withdraws, the airlines will be able to use accumulated leave in place of weekly rest, ensuring the availability of crew.
The change is expected to particularly benefit IndiGo, India’s largest airline, which is grappling with massive cancellations and severe network imbalance. Reports indicate that crew shortages and rostering complications have intensified the crisis, prompting the airline to seek regulatory relaxation. IndiGo has formally requested short-term exemptions from certain Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms for its A320 fleet until February 10, 2026, to stabilise operations.
The DGCA has, meanwhile, urged all pilot unions and associations to cooperate fully with airlines to prevent avoidable delays and cancellations, especially as India enters the winter fog season and the peak holiday travel period. The regulator emphasised that coordinated efforts are essential to safeguard passenger convenience and maintain operational efficiency.