India’s aviation regulator has confirmed that IndiGo will now operate under the revised pilot duty norms, marking the end of temporary exemptions granted to stabilise flight operations. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) announced on Wednesday that the airline has put in place the required systems to comply with the updated Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules effective immediately.
According to the regulator, IndiGo has assured authorities that it is ready to adhere to the updated framework governing pilot working hours, rostering, and monitoring. “IndiGo Airlines has informed DGCA that it shall be fully prepared to comply with the statutory provisions and to implement the approved FDTL scheme dated 09.10.2025 upon expiry of the exemptions,” the DGCA said in an official statement. The regulator added that the airline has also established all necessary operational and monitoring arrangements to ensure compliance from today.
The implementation comes after a turbulent period for the airline late last year. In the first week of December, IndiGo cancelled at least 5,500 flights, citing multiple operational disruptions. These included congestion across major cities, winter schedule adjustments, minor technical glitches, weather conditions, and crew shortages linked to the introduction of the new FDTL rules from November 1, 2025. Between December 3 and 5 alone, 2,507 IndiGo flights were cancelled while another 1,852 faced delays.
To prevent further disruption and safeguard passenger interests, the DGCA had granted a one-time temporary exemption from certain clauses of the revised duty norms. The waiver, issued on December 5, 2025, remained valid until February 10, 2026. The regulator explained that the relief was intended to help stabilise operations while ensuring safety and service continuity. It stated that the exemption was granted “vide approval dated 05 December 2025 for a limited period only valid up to 10 February 2026 with a view to stabilising flight operations and safeguarding passenger safety and interest.”
The revised FDTL framework significantly tightens limits on pilot work hours and rest requirements.
Weekly rest periods have been extended from 36 to 48 continuous hours, including two full nights at the crew member’s home base. The definition of night duty has also been expanded from midnight–5 am to midnight–6 am, and airlines are now permitted to assign pilots only two consecutive night duties instead of an unlimited number.
Additional changes include capping night landings at two per week, down from six earlier, and reducing monthly flight time from 125 hours to 100 hours within a 28-day period. These measures are designed to reduce fatigue and improve overall flight safety.
During the exemption period, IndiGo’s operations were closely monitored by the regulator. The DGCA required the airline to submit hourly flight operations data and regular performance reports. “During the validity of the exemptions, IndiGo Airlines flight operations were monitored closely through periodic review meetings with DGCA,” the regulator said.
