India Regulator Warns IndiGo After Crew Rule Changes Trigger Widespread Flight Disruptions

By Staff, Agencies

India’s civil aviation regulator has issued a warning to the country’s largest airline, IndiGo, after severe flight disruptions left thousands of passengers stranded, citing the carrier’s failure to adequately prepare for new duty time regulations for flight crews.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation [DGCA] said on Sunday that it has extended the deadline for IndiGo to respond to a show-cause notice asking why regulatory action should not be taken against the airline. The notice was sent to IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers on December 6, after which the company requested additional time to reply.

The warning follows widespread chaos at Indian airports last week, when IndiGo struggled to comply with updated Flight Duty Time Limitation [FDTL] rules that took effect on November 1. The airline, which controls around 60% of India’s domestic market and operates more than 2,000 flights daily, has canceled over 2,000 flights since last Tuesday.

The disruptions left thousands of travelers stranded and led to sharp increases in airfares across the country. To help restore normal operations, the DGCA granted IndiGo a temporary relaxation of the FDTL rules for its A320 fleet, according to the Times of India.

The regulator said its assessment found the main cause of the disruption was IndiGo’s failure to put “adequate arrangements” in place to meet revised staffing levels, duty-time limits, and crew rostering requirements under the new rules.

The FDTL regulations were introduced to address crew fatigue and flight safety concerns. They require, among other measures, 48 hours of uninterrupted weekly rest for flight crews and limit pilots and cabin crew to no more than two consecutive night duties. Media reports said the rules effectively forced airlines to hire additional crew.

IndiGo said it has issued $7 million in refunds to affected passengers and expects its operations to stabilize by December 10, according to the Hindustan Times.

December is one of India’s busiest travel periods, driven by the wedding season and the start of school holidays, amplifying the impact of the disruptions.