IndiGo Assures DGCA of Full Compliance as FDTL Exemption Ends
IndiGo spokesperson said that as assured to the regulatory authorities earlier, the airline is maintaining an optimum pool of employees, including pilots, to ensure stable operations across its network.
New Delhi: With its deadline to implement the Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) coming to an end, the IndiGo airline has informed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) that it has put in place all necessary arrangements to comply with the FDTL norms.
IndiGo was granted temporary one-time exemption with regard to implementation of new FTDL rules in view to stabilising flight operations in December when the airline faced massive cancellations due to shortage of crew. Over-optimisation of operations, inadequate regulatory preparedness, along with deficiencies in system software support and shortcomings in management structure and operational control at IndiGo were among the key reasons that led to the disruptions, following which the DGCA had also curtailed the carrier's winter schedule flights by 10 per cent. The FDTL exemptions pertained to night duty time for pilots and night landings.
With the temporary exemption ending on Tuesday, the DGCA on Wednesday issued a statement detailing the progress and assurance provided by the airline. It said during the exemption period IndiGo’s flight operations were monitored closely. DGCA had positioned Flight Operations Inspectors (FOIs) at IndiGo's Operations Control Centre for real-time monitoring of flight operations, ensuring continuous regulatory oversight during the exemption period.
IndiGo has now informed that it shall be fully prepared to comply with the statutory provisions and to implement the approved FDTL scheme upon expiry of the exemptions and all necessary operational, rostering, and monitoring arrangements are being put in place to ensure full compliance from February 11, 2026.
The airline, which saw its domestic market share slump to 59.6 per cent in December from 63.6 per cent in November, operates around 2,200 flights daily. On January 20, DGCA said sustained regulatory oversight as well as corrective measures have helped stabilise operations at IndiGo, and the airline now has an adequate number of pilots to ensure compliance with the new flight duty norms without disruptions.
Citing the airline's submissions, the watchdog had said there were 2,400 Pilots in Command (PICs) as against the requirement for 2,280, and the number of First Officers was 2,240 compared to the requirement for 2,050.
On Tuesday, an IndiGo spokesperson said that as assured to the regulatory authorities earlier, the airline is maintaining an optimum pool of employees, including pilots, to ensure stable operations across its network.
