Flight disruptions: Did IndiGo wait too long to recruit pilots to follow DGCA flight rules?
IndiGo only started recruiting new pilots in November 2025 – months after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s (DGCA) revised norms on flight time limitations (FDTL) were notified and well into their final stages of implementation – raising questions over whether delays in workforce planning contributed to the airline’s severe operational disruptions.
IndiGo’s website states that on November 5, 2025, the airline issued a recruitment call for A320 Captains and above, inviting Indian nationals and Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) card holders below the age of 62 with a minimum of 3,000 total flying hours and at least 100 hours as Pilot in Command (PIC) after the online release on the A320 family. A parallel hiring notice for first officers limited eligibility to Indian nationals and OCIs below the age of 55, requiring at least 200 hours of post-linear experience on A320 aircraft and an impeccable safety record.
The timing of the recruitment raised eyebrows. The DGCA had notified the revised FDTL framework with immediate effect on May 31, 2024, requiring initial compliance from June 1, 2024. Although full implementation was ultimately 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, staffing and workforce with the new mitigation regime. fatigue.
What has changed with the new FDTL standards
The revised rules — introduced after a thorough review of fatigue reports and global standards — brought significant operational tightening:
- • 48 consecutive hours of weekly rest for pilots
- • Nighttime has been redefined from midnight to 6:00 a.m. instead of midnight to 5:00 a.m.
- • A cap of two night landings per duty period, compared to six
- • No more than two consecutive night tasks
- • Mandatory quarterly fatigue reports and roster recalibration
The DGCA stressed that the revisions were aimed at reducing fatigue-related risks, particularly during early morning departures and night operations, and bringing India closer to international safety standards.
Disruptions increase as new rules take hold
In November 2025, coinciding with the last deployment window, IndiGo experienced a significant operational decline. According to data the airline shared with the DGAC:
- • 1,232 flights were canceled in November
- • 755 cancellations were directly linked to crew availability and constraints linked to the FDTL
- • On-time performance (OTP) fell sharply, from 84.1% in October to 67.7% in November, falling further in early December.
The airline, known for its industry-leading on-time performance, is now at one of its lowest OTP points in years.
Pilot unions lag behind in preparation
Leading organizations say the crisis is not the rules but IndiGo’s prolonged underhiring.
The Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA) said the disruptions reflected “a failure of proactive resource planning” by major carriers, warning that pressure could now be used to pressure the regulator into diluting standards aimed at boosting safety.
The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) was more blunt, calling the chaos a “direct consequence of IndiGo’s prolonged and unorthodox downsizing strategy”, particularly in flight operations. The group also said there was growing concern that operational disruptions could become a tool to “twist regulators” whenever standards prove inconvenient.
Delayed IndiGo hiring now in spotlight
With the new FDTL limits in full force since November 1 and disruptions continuing into December, IndiGo’s decision to launch large-scale recruitment of captains and first officers only in early November has become a focal point in the industry-wide debate on pilot fatigue, airline preparedness and operational resilience.
It remains to be seen whether this new recruitment drive will be enough to stabilize operations – and whether the DGCA will hold airlines responsible for staff shortages.
