IndiGo may temporarily reduce additional flights after February 10 as it prepares to implement new, safety-enhancing flight duty time limitation (FDTL) rules that significantly increase pilot requirements,
airline and regulatory officials said. The country’s largest airline IndiGo assured the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) that it will ensure there are no passenger disruptions when the exemption from the new rules ends next month. The airline said it may opt for a short-term network readjustment, if necessary, to stabilise operations.
Why Are More Flight Cuts Being Considered?
IndiGo’s schedule was already trimmed by around 10 per cent last month following widespread disruptions in December. The airline currently operates about 2,200 scheduled domestic and international flights daily. Of these, roughly 350 flights are operated by its turboprop ATR fleet, with the remainder flown using Airbus A320 and A321 aircraft. From February 10, pilots operating IndiGo’s A320 family fleet will no longer be exempt from the revised FDTL norms, which mandate stricter duty limits and rest periods. This change requires additional pilots per aircraft, putting pressure on crew availability.
How Is IndiGo Planning To Minimise Further Disruptions?
To limit additional cuts, IndiGo plans to shift some short- and medium-haul routes currently served by A320 aircraft to its ATR fleet. This move will marginally reduce Airbus operations while allowing the airline to maintain a stable, albeit slightly truncated, schedule. Aviation ministry officials and the DGCA are closely monitoring the adjustments. Regulators are firm that a repeat of last month’s chaos cannot be allowed, particularly so soon after the previous disruption.
What Penalties Has IndiGo Faced Over FDTL Non-Compliance?
Following IndiGo’s schedule collapse in December, the DGCA on December 5 granted a temporary exemption from the new FDTL rules for the airline’s A320 family fleet until February 10, 2026. As part of the action, the regulator imposed a fine of Rs 22.2 crore, including a daily penalty of Rs 30 lakh for the 68-day exemption period, amounting to Rs 20.4 crore. The airline was also directed to furnish a Rs 50 crore bank guarantee, with Rs 15 crore linked to sustained compliance over six months through improved manpower planning, rostering and fatigue-risk management.
