Flight disruptions: Did IndiGo wait too lengthy with pilot recruitment to observe DGCA flight guidelines?
IndiGo started contemporary pilot recruitment solely in November 2025 — months after the Directorate Basic of Civil Aviation’s (DGCA) revised Flight Obligation Time Limitations (FDTL) norms have been notified and properly into their remaining section of implementation — elevating questions over whether or not delayed manpower planning contributed to the airline’s extreme operational disruptions.
IndiGo’s web site exhibits on November 5, 2025, the airline issued a recruitment name for A320 captains and senior positions, inviting Indian nationals and Abroad Citizen of India (OCI) cardholders beneath the age of 62 with a minimal of three,000 complete flying hours and a minimum of 100 hours as Pilot-in-Command (PIC) publish line launch on the A320 household.
A parallel hiring discover for first officers restricted eligibility to Indian nationals and OCIs beneath 55 years, requiring a minimum of 200 hours of expertise publish line launch on A320 plane and a clear security file.
The timing of the recruitment raised eyebrows. DGCA had notified the revised FDTL framework with speedy impact on Could 31, 2024, requiring preliminary compliance from June 1, 2024. Whereas full implementation was finally deferred to a phased rollout between July 1, 2025, and November 1, 2025, airways got greater than a yr’s discover to align their fleets, rosters and manpower with the brand new fatigue-mitigation regime.
What modified beneath the brand new FDTL norms
The revised guidelines — launched after in depth overview of fatigue experiences and world requirements — introduced important operational tightening:
- • 48 consecutive hours of weekly relaxation for pilots
- • Night time redefined as 00:00-06:00 as an alternative of 00:00-05:00
- • A cap of two evening landings per obligation interval, down from six
- • Not more than two consecutive evening duties
- • Obligatory quarterly fatigue reporting and roster recalibration
The DGCA emphasised that the revisions have been meant to cut back fatigue-related dangers, particularly on early-morning departures and evening operations, and to convey India nearer to worldwide security norms.
Disruptions spike as new guidelines take maintain
In November 2025 — coinciding with the ultimate rollout window — IndiGo skilled a major operational hunch. In accordance with information the airline shared with DGCA:
- • 1,232 flights have been cancelled in November
- • 755 cancellations have been straight linked to crew availability and FDTL-related constraints
- • On-time efficiency (OTP) fell sharply from 84.1% in October to 67.7% in November, dropping even additional in early December
The airline, identified for its industry-leading punctuality, is now at one among its lowest OTP factors in years.
Pilot unions blame delayed preparation
Pilot our bodies allege that the disaster stems not from the foundations however from IndiGo’s extended under-hiring.
The Airline Pilots’ Affiliation of India (ALPA) mentioned the disruptions mirror “a failure of proactive useful resource planning” by main carriers, warning that the pressure might now be used to stress the regulator into diluting safety-enhancing norms.
The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) was extra direct, calling the chaos “a direct consequence of IndiGo’s extended and unorthodox lean manpower technique,” particularly inside flight operations. The group additionally mentioned there have been rising issues that operational disruptions might turn out to be a device to “arm-twist regulators” every time norms show inconvenient.
IndiGo’s delayed hiring now beneath highlight
With the brand new FDTL limits totally in drive since November 1, and disruptions persevering with properly into December, IndiGo’s determination to provoke large-scale captain and first-officer hiring solely in early November has turn out to be a focus within the debate over pilot fatigue, airline preparedness, and industry-wide operational resilience.
Whether or not the contemporary recruitment drive might be enough to stabilise operations — and whether or not DGCA will maintain airways accountable for manpower lapses — stays to be seen.
