IndiGo restores FDTL compliance after raising crew deployment to 7.2 sets per aircraft

India’s largest airline, IndiGo, has returned to full compliance with Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms after increasing crew deployment levels, marking a structural reset following December’s operational disruptions.

Sources told CNBC-TV18 that IndiGo has raised crew deployment to 7.2 crew sets per aircraft in February, up sharply from under six crew sets per aircraft in November and December. The increase has enabled the airline to align fully with revised duty-hour and rest regulations enforced by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

One crew set comprises one captain and one first officer.

At 7.2 crew sets across roughly 350 active aircraft, IndiGo requires more than 5,000 pilots to sustain compliant operations. Government data as of December 8 showed the airline had 5,085 pilots on its rolls suggesting that pilot headcount was not the underlying issue during the period of strain.

Instead, the problem lay in utilisation.

Also Read: IndiGo assures DGCA of full compliance with revised pilot duty norms as FDTL exemption ends

What caused operational stress?

The operational stress surfaced after the DGCA tightened night-duty restrictions and mandatory rest requirements for pilots. While IndiGo’s overall pilot numbers were adequate on paper, effective availability fell once stricter duty caps began to be enforced.

At the time, the airline was operating at fewer than six crew sets per aircraft, a lean deployment model that left minimal margin for disruption.

With little buffer built into the system, even routine disruptions had an outsized impact. When pilots reached duty-hour ceilings, reported sick, or faced weather-related delays during the busy winter travel season, flight cancellations and delays began to cascade across the network.

The December disruptions triggered regulatory scrutiny, with the DGCA flagging compliance concerns and imposing a penalty on the airline for lapses related to crew scheduling and operational management.

Industry experts note that resilient airline operations typically require between seven and eight crew sets per aircraft to absorb unforeseen disruptions while remaining within duty-time regulations. Operating below that range can heighten vulnerability during peak demand or adverse conditions.

By increasing deployment to 7.2 crew sets per aircraft, IndiGo has effectively rebuilt operational headroom. The shift indicates a move away from tightly optimised scheduling towards a more compliance-focused and disruption-resistant model.

The pilots, by most measures, were already within the system. The difference now lies in how they are deployed.