Has IndiGo escaped turbulent skies? 10 things flyers must know

IndiGo Airlines has shown clear signs of operational recovery after facing major disruptions in early December 2025. According to regulatory reviews and data shared with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the airline has improved pilot availability, stabilised crew strength, and restored operational reliability. Both the DGCA and the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) continue to closely monitor the situation to ensure passenger safety and public interest.

December 2025 operational disruptions

At the beginning of December 2025, IndiGo's complete network faced the issue of delayed flights and cancellations.

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The airline's internal planning systems failed to identify the risks in a timely and regulatory preparedness at the operator level was found to be insufficient.

Duties for the crews were planned almost to the maximum limits allowed. Buffer margins were less, and practices like deadheading, tail swaps, extended duty patterns, and short recovery periods were for the crew more frequently used.

These factors influenced roster stability, bad weather and the airline's ability to handle disruptions. The situation also had an impact on the new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules’ implementation.

Government and DGCA intervention

Considering the scale of disruption and its impact on passengers, the Ministry of Civil Aviation, along with the DGCA, introduced immediate stabilisation measures. Some temporary operational exceptions were allowed in the public interest to support recovery, while safety standards were maintained.

During the period of December 6 to December 30, 2025, the DGCA placed two Flight Operations Inspectors (FOIs) together with Passenger Facilitation personnel at the Operation Control Centre (OCC) of IndiGo and also at some of the chosen airports.

During the recovery period of the airline, the groups observed daily flight operations, evaluated the handling of passengers, and verified compliance with the rules and regulations.

Daily reporting and corrective steps

During this phase, IndiGo was required to submit daily operational reports. These reports included data on flight cancellations and delays, crew positioning and availability, crew leave and standby use, and system performance, along with other operational key performance indicators (KPIs).

The airline was also asked to submit weekly and fortnightly reports covering important operational and manpower details. IndiGo submitted a detailed Corrective Action Plan (CAP), which outlined steps taken to restore operational stability and ensure compliance with revised FDTL rules.

The reporting framework covered standby utilisation for the Airbus fleet, pilot training plans and attrition forecasts, pending endorsements, command upgrades and First Officer hiring, pilot release timelines across categories, required versus available pilot strength, and fleet availability, including Airbus, ATR, and wet-leased aircraft.

By mid-January 2026, IndiGo had submitted four weekly reports and three fortnightly reports and had taken part in regular review meetings with the DGCA.

What has changed for passengers?

• Pilot availability has become better: The airline has conveyed to the DGCA that the availability of pilots is now sufficient from the point of view of operating needs.
• Key categories of pilots are overstaffed: On 10 February 2026, the strength of Airbus PICs was 2,400, while only 2,280 were needed. The number of Airbus First Officers reached 2,240, with 2,050 being the requirement.
• Crew strength returned to normal: The airline had a total crew strength of 6700 after December 2025 disturbances and has since then maintained that number.
• No recent flight cancellations: The airline mentioned that no flights were cancelled after January 10, 2026, on the authorised network.
• FDTL exemptions: Two Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) exemptions, which had been approved on December 6, 2025, have now been revoked.
• Regulatory surveillance was intensified: DGCA has stepped up its monitoring with regular meetings to discuss operations, rosters and compliance.
• Daily operational reporting was a must: IndiGo was required to submit daily reports on the number of delayed flights, cancellations, crew availability, standby usage and system performance.
• Correction plan executed: The airline presented an elaborate Corrective Action Plan aimed at closing operational gaps and assuring compliance with the new FDTL norms.
• Fleet availability: The adequacy of the Airbus, ATR and wet-leased aircraft for operations was reported as sufficient.
• Wet-lease support: Wet-leased aircraft, including those with Qatar and Freebird, are now bringing up the rear of operational support.