NEW DELHI: A government panel has launched a probe into why IndiGo, India's largest airline, delayed preparing for new flight duty time limitation (FDTL) norms, which led to widespread flight cancellations and delays affecting thousands of passengers. The inquiry will examine if the airline sought relaxations instead of getting ready for the November 1 rollout of stricter pilot rest rules.^[1][2] Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu stated that a "high-level inquiry" will investigate "what went wrong" at IndiGo.^[3] This comes after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued show-cause notices to IndiGo's CEO Pieter Elbers and its accountable manager over the operational failures.^[1][4] ### New Pilot Rest Rules Trigger Chaos The new FDTL regulations, implemented in two phases on July 1 and November 1, 2025, aimed to combat pilot fatigue and enhance aviation safety.^[5][6][7][8] Key changes include increasing the mandatory weekly rest period for pilots from 36 hours to 48 hours.^{[5][9][10][11][7][12][8]} The rules also significantly limited night operations, capping pilot night landings from six to just two per week.^{[5][9][11][7][13][8]} Furthermore, the definition of "night" was extended by an hour, now covering 00:00 to 06:00, and maximum flight time for night operations was set at 8 hours.^{[9][10][11][12]} IndiGo, which operates a high volume of night flights and maintains high aircraft and crew utilization, was particularly affected by these changes.^[5][14] The airline reported over 1,000 cancellations on December 5 alone, with hundreds more throughout early December.^[3][7][14] IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers acknowledged the "widespread" disruption and issued an apology to affected customers.^[3] The airline attributed the chaos to "misjudgment and planning gaps" in implementing the second phase of the new FDTL rules.^[14] ### Probe Targets Airline's Preparedness The four-member government committee will focus on several critical areas of IndiGo's actions. Investigators will assess whether the airline spent weeks lobbying the DGCA for exemptions or deferments of certain provisions, such as limits on night landings, instead of preparing for the November 1 deadline.^[1][2] Officials familiar with the review told news sources that the panel would check if this push for regulatory relief affected IndiGo's internal readiness.^[1] The probe will also investigate IndiGo's delay in adopting updated crew rostering software, specifically the Jeppesen system, which was required under the new duty norms.^[1][2] Allegations of improper crew duty assignments contributing to the operational disruptions will also be examined.^[1] A parliamentary standing committee is also expected to summon IndiGo executives and DGCA officials to discuss the reasons behind the mass cancellations.^[6] One committee member, speaking anonymously, stated that IndiGo must explain why it did not hire additional pilots despite receiving advance notice about the revised FDTL rules.^[6] ### DGCA Grants Temporary Exemptions Amid the severe disruptions, the DGCA granted IndiGo a temporary, one-time exemption from certain night operations provisions in the new FDTL rules for its Airbus A320 pilots.^{[15][16][6][17][14]} These relaxations, in effect until February 10, 2026, allow IndiGo to revert to six night landings instead of two and roll back the definition of "night" to midnight–5 am. T^{[15][16][17][8]}he regulator also temporarily released 12 IndiGo Flight Operations Inspectors on deputation with the DGCA for flying duties to boost pilot availability. ^[15][14]Additionally, the DGCA withdrew a key clause for all airlines that prohibited substituting personal leave for the mandatory weekly rest period. T^[15][18][8]his industry-wide relaxation aims to help stabilize national aviation. C^[15][18]ivil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu stated that the duty-time order was "suspended with immediate effect" to stabilize matters, emphasizing the decision was "solely in the interest of passengers" and "without compromising air safety." ^[3]### Pilot Bodies Allege Poor Planning Pilot associations have sharply criticized the temporary exemptions granted to IndiGo. The Airlines Pilots' Association of India (APAI) expressed disappointment, calling the relaxations "selective dispensations" that endanger passengers. A^[16]PAI argued that the crisis stems from IndiGo's "planning failures" and an "over-reliance on prolonged and unorthodox lean manpower strategy." T^[16]hey pointed to inadequate hiring, frozen pay, and tight staffing in flight operations. ^[16][7]Aviation expert Subhash Goyal blamed IndiGo for the widespread cancellations, stating the airline ignored safety regulations and expanded operations without hiring enough crew. G^[19]oyal noted that all airlines were instructed over a year ago to recruit more staff, and competitors like Akasa, SpiceJet, and Air India complied. T^[19]he Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) also claimed that IndiGo adopted a hiring freeze and maintained a pilot pay freeze despite a two-year preparatory window for FDTL implementation. ^[5]IndiGo had informed the DGCA that the disruptions arose from "misjudgement and planning gaps" in implementing the new FDTL rules, acknowledging that its actual crew requirement exceeded what it had anticipated. T^[14]he airline reported needing 2,422 captains and 2,153 first officers for its Airbus A320 fleet under the new rules but currently has 2,357 captains and 2,194 first officers. ^[14]### Looking Ahead IndiGo expects its flight operations to normalize by December 10-15. T^{[3][13][19][4]}he DGCA has placed strict monitoring requirements on IndiGo during the exemption period, requiring fortnightly reviews and biweekly reports on crew utilization, steps taken to improve availability, and revised rostering strategies. T^[15]he airline must also submit a 30-day roadmap for full FDTL compliance. T^[15]he government probe is expected to submit its findings within 15 days, paving the way for potential regulatory enforcement actions and measures to prevent similar disruptions in the future. ^[17][14][4]The ongoing investigation highlights the critical balance between operational efficiency and stringent safety regulations in India's rapidly growing aviation sector.

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