IndiGo's operational recovery: DGCA grants critical approvals to tackle flight issues

In response to operational challenges faced by IndiGo, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has granted temporary approvals to the airline, aiming to stabilize its operations while ensuring safety standards are maintained.

As part of the temporary relief measures, the DGCA has approved the deployment of 12 DGCA Flight Operations Inspectors (FOIs) to assist with flight duties, easing pressure on IndiGo’s existing workforce. These inspectors will support the airline during the period from December 5 to 15, 2025, to manage the increased operational demands.

The DGCA also extended the validity of the airline’s Designated Examiner (DE) Annual Refresher and Standardization Checks until February 2026, contingent on meeting all safety requirements. Additionally, IndiGo has been granted permission to conduct simulator training and checks through designated simulator instructors, allowing for better training capacity within the airline’s operational framework.

Other approvals include the utilisation of medically unfit DEs for non-flying instructional duties and the continuation of simulator checks, which are essential to maintaining the flight crew's proficiency.

“These approvals are granted as a one-time facilitation to ensure continuity in IndiGo’s operations while addressing their current challenges,” the DGCA noted, emphasising that any deviation from these conditions or safety concerns during the approval period would lead to immediate withdrawal of the approvals.

IndiGo, India’s largest airline, is currently working to stabilize its operations amidst a period of disruption, with significant support from DGCA’s temporary measures aimed at keeping its flight schedules intact.