New Delhi: On Friday the DGCA relaxed several pilot‑duty rules instantly after IndiGo was hit by a severe staff shortage that forced it to cancel a large number of flights across the country.
To curb the escalating crisis, the regulator issued a new notice easing pilot‑duty limits, allowing airlines to combine leaves with weekly rest—a combination it had previously prohibited.
Referring to its earlier directive that “no leave shall be substituted for weekly rest”, the DGCA said that “In view of the ongoing operational disruptions and representations received from various airlines regarding the need to ensure continuity and stability of operations, it has been considered necessary to review the said provision”.
Consequently, the regulator declared that the rule “that no leave shall be substituted for weekly rest” is being withdrawn with immediate effect.
The fallout from IndiGo’s almost 500 flight cancellations made headlines in Parliament on Friday, where opposition MPs accused the airline of “monopolistic practices” and the government of “regulatory laxity”.
Earlier, Delhi Airport issued a fresh passenger advisory stating that all IndiGo domestic flights departing from the airport are cancelled until midnight.
“IndiGo domestic flights departing from Delhi Airport on 5th December 2025 are cancelled till midnight today (till 23:59 hours). Operations for all other carriers remain as scheduled,” the advisory read.
In November alone, IndiGo recorded 1,232 cancellations across its network.
Government officials said they were closely monitoring IndiGo’s recovery efforts and passenger‑support measures until operations returned to full stability.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation took the recent disruptions very seriously. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu led a high‑level review meeting with IndiGo’s senior staff, joined by the Secretary of Civil Aviation, the DGCA, ministry officials, and representatives from the Airports Authority of India.
Minister Naidu voiced strong dissatisfaction with how the airline handled the crisis, pointing out that there had been ample preparation time to transition smoothly to the new regulatory rules.
He also instructed IndiGo to restore normal operations immediately, keep fares from rising because of the crisis, and to give passengers advance notice of any likely cancellations. He urged the airline to arrange all necessary facilities—such as hotel stays when required—promptly to minimize inconvenience for travellers.
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