IndiGo’s pilot crew shortages in December 2025 were primarily triggered by the full enforcement of revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which curtailed pilots’ available flying hours through extended rest periods and restrictions on night operations.
These rules, rolled out in phases with the second phase starting November 1, 2025, increased weekly rest for pilots from 36 to 48 hours, limited night landings to two per crew (down from six), and extended the definition of night hours by one hour, directly reducing crew utilization and exposing IndiGo’s overstretched roster. The airline’s aggressive expansion of its winter schedule, adding over 10,000 domestic flights monthly without proportionally hiring or training more pilots, amplified the issue as actual crew needs exceeded projections by 20-30%.
New flight duty time limitation (FDTL) rules enforced by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) since November 1, 2025, restricted pilot rest periods, leading to acute crew shortages as IndiGo expanded its winter schedule. Technical glitches at major airports like Delhi and Pune disrupted check-in systems, exacerbating delays that cascaded into cancellations when flights ran past midnight. Adverse weather, high airport congestion, and minor IT issues further compounded the problem, catching the airline off guard during the holiday and wedding travel surge.
The DGCA responded by ordering IndiGo to submit a detailed mitigation plan, including crew recruitment roadmaps and fortnightly progress reports, while temporarily easing some FDTL norms on December 5, 2025, to restore operations. Pilot associations, including the Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA), highlighted that the disruptions stemmed from IndiGo’s failure to anticipate the rules’ impact on its model of intense night rotations and thin standby staffing. Full recovery was projected for mid-February 2026, with reduced schedules implemented from December 8 to minimize further chaos.
