Flight disruptions: Did IndiGo wait too long with pilot recruitment to follow DGCA flight rules?

IndiGo began fresh pilot recruitment only in November 2025 — months after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s (DGCA) revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms were notified and well into their final phase of implementation — raising questions over whether delayed manpower planning contributed to the airline’s severe operational disruptions.

IndiGo's website shows on November 5, 2025, the airline issued a recruitment call for A320 captains and senior positions, inviting Indian nationals and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders below the age of 62 with a minimum of 3,000 total flying hours and at least 100 hours as Pilot-in-Command (PIC) post line release on the A320 family.

A parallel hiring notice for first officers limited eligibility to Indian nationals and OCIs below 55 years, requiring at least 200 hours of experience post line release on A320 aircraft and a clean safety record.

The timing of the recruitment raised eyebrows. DGCA had notified the revised FDTL framework with immediate effect on May 31, 2024, requiring initial compliance from June 1, 2024. While full implementation was eventually deferred to a phased rollout between July 1, 2025, and November 1, 2025, airlines were given more than a year’s notice to align their fleets, rosters and manpower with the new fatigue-mitigation regime. 

What changed under the new FDTL norms 

The revised rules — introduced after extensive review of fatigue reports and global standards — brought significant operational tightening: 

• • 48 consecutive hours of weekly rest for pilots
• • Night redefined as 00:00-06:00 instead of 00:00-05:00
• • A cap of two night landings per duty period, down from six
• • No more than two consecutive night duties
• • Mandatory quarterly fatigue reporting and roster recalibration 

The DGCA emphasised that the revisions were intended to reduce fatigue-related risks, especially on early-morning departures and night operations, and to bring India closer to international safety norms. 

Disruptions spike as new rules take hold 

In November 2025 — coinciding with the final rollout window — IndiGo experienced a significant operational slump. According to data the airline shared with DGCA: 

• • 1,232 flights were cancelled in November
• • 755 cancellations were directly linked to crew availability and FDTL-related constraints
• • On-time performance (OTP) fell sharply from 84.1% in October to 67.7% in November, dropping even further in early December 

The airline, known for its industry-leading punctuality, is now at one of its lowest OTP points in years. 

Pilot unions blame delayed preparation 

Pilot bodies allege that the crisis stems not from the rules but from IndiGo’s prolonged under-hiring. 

The Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA) said the disruptions reflect “a failure of proactive resource planning” by major carriers, warning that the strain may now be used to pressure the regulator into diluting safety-enhancing norms. 

The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) was more direct, calling the chaos “a direct consequence of IndiGo’s prolonged and unorthodox lean manpower strategy,” especially within flight operations. The group also said there were rising concerns that operational disruptions could become a tool to “arm-twist regulators” whenever norms prove inconvenient. 

IndiGo’s delayed hiring now under spotlight 

With the new FDTL limits fully in force since November 1, and disruptions continuing well into December, IndiGo’s decision to initiate large-scale captain and first-officer hiring only in early November has become a focal point in the debate over pilot fatigue, airline preparedness, and industry-wide operational resilience. 

Whether the fresh recruitment drive will be sufficient to stabilise operations — and whether DGCA will hold airlines accountable for manpower lapses — remains to be seen.