The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday eased a key crew-duty requirement as IndiGo’s operational crisis continued to disrupt air travel nationwide, leading to thousands of flight cancellations and widespread delays.
In an official order, the regulator said it was temporarily withdrawing the rule that barred airlines from substituting weekly rest with accumulated leave, a restriction that had complicated crew rostering during the ongoing crunch.
“In view of the ongoing operational disruptions and representations received from various airlines regarding the need to ensure continuity and stability of operations… the instruction contained in the referenced paragraph that no leave shall be substituted for weekly rest is hereby withdrawn with immediate effect," the DGCA said.
The relaxation is aimed at giving airlines additional flexibility to stabilise schedules as they struggle with pilot and crew shortages.
DGCA also granted the airline a one-time conditional exemption from key night-duty limitations to help stabilise its severely disrupted network.
The regulator has allowed IndiGo pilots to operate up to six night landings, a significant relaxation from the current Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms, which cap night landings at two per pilot.
The DGCA has also eased restrictions on consecutive night duties, temporarily withdrawing the rule that bars pilots from undertaking more than two back-to-back night shifts.
The exemption, effective immediately, will remain valid until February 10 and will be subject to a mandatory review every 15 days, the regulator said.
Officials described the move as a “one-time, conditional measure" aimed solely at restoring operational stability.
The relief comes as IndiGo’s crisis entered its third day on Friday, triggering yet another round of large-scale cancellations. More than 700 flights were cancelled today, following over 550 cancellations yesterday, plunging airport operations into chaos.
Delhi Airport has borne the brunt of the disruption, with IndiGo cancelling all 235 scheduled flights from the capital on Friday.
The operational failures have left thousands of passengers stranded or forced to rework travel plans at short notice, as India’s largest airline struggles to regain control of its schedule.
Source: News18