In December 2025, IndiGo, usually one of the best operators in the business globally, had a massive slip-up in compliance with the new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL), resulting in thousands of cancelled flights and lakhs of customers losing time, money and life events. Eventually, IndiGo asked for a deferral of compliance with the new FDTL norms, which everyone else had been complying with since November 1, 2025, and was given until February 10, 2026, to get their house in order. They also paid a fine for it.
IndiGo claims compliance with the new FDTL Norms.
If you’ve been tracking the whirlwind of headlines around Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms, pilot duty rules and that December scheduling meltdown, there’s a fresh chapter worth unpacking — and it’s all about compliance rather than chaos.
After a very turbulent tail end of 2025 — literally and figuratively — India’s largest carrier, IndiGo, has formally told the aviation regulator that it’s now fully prepared to comply with the revised FDTL framework as of February 11, 2026. That’s the day its temporary exemption from certain crew duty and rest requirements expired, and the airline had to move back into full adherence with the statutory safety rules laid down by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
For context, the newer FDTL norms — introduced by the DGCA to tighten limits on pilot duty hours and expand mandatory rest periods (including stricter night duty definitions and caps on weekly flight hours) — were a response to broader global fatigue-management standards. Many pilots and safety advocates welcomed them as sensible industry practice. But the transition was anything but smooth for IndiGo. In early December, constraints on these new rules, combined with staffing shortfalls, led to a cascade of flight cancellations that rippled through the winter schedule and frustrated tens of thousands of travellers.
To stabilise operations, the DGCA granted IndiGo a one-time temporary exemption from select provisions of the FDTL scheme through February 10, 2026. That window was meant to let the airline adjust rosters, recruit more crew, and build operational buffers without being forced to cancel flights en masse. During the exemption period, regulators kept a close eye on things, with periodic reporting requirements and even on-site oversight at airports and IndiGo’s operations control centre.
Now, with that phase behind it, IndiGo has confirmed to the DGCA that it has put in place the operational, rostering and monitoring arrangements needed to meet the full FDTL requirements. That includes raising pilot strength, boosting crew buffers and revising scheduling practices so that duty and rest cycles align with the stricter rules. Essentially, the airline has rebuilt its systems around the regulations it had initially struggled to accommodate.
Here is the statement that the IndiGo spokesperson released,
We would like to confirm that IndiGo has been and will always be fully compliant with any applicable version of FDTL norms; in fact, we have already integrated the new set of rules in our crew rosters and planning. As assured to the regulatory authorities earlier, we are maintaining an optimum pool of employees, including pilots, to ensure stable operations across our network. IndiGo remains committed to grow further as a stronger and more resilient airline offering reliable connectivity across its 140+ destinations in India and around the world.
And here is what the regulator, the DGCA, said about it.
Whereas, in view of the massive flight disruptions faced by IndiGo Airlines during the initial days of December 2025, IndiGo Airlines was granted a one-time temporary exemption from the provisions of Para 3.11 and Para 6.1.4 of CAR Section 7, Series J, Part III (FDTL) Rev 2, vide approval dated 05 December 2025 for a limited period only valid up to 10 February 2026 with a view to stabilising flight operations and safeguarding passenger safety and interest.
The said two exemptions were granted subject to specified conditions, inter alia, submission of hourly flight operations data to DGCA and weekly/fortnightly reports on operational performance.
During the validity of the exemptions, IndiGo Airlines flight operations were monitored closely through periodic review meetings with DGCA. Further, DGCA officers were deployed at various airports to oversee passenger handling and address passenger inconvenience. In addition, Flight Operations Inspectors (FOls) were positioned at IndiGo Airlines Operations Control Centre for real-time monitoring of flight operations, ensuring continuous regulatory oversight during the exemption period
IndiGo Airlines has informed DGCA that it shall be fully prepared to comply with the statutory provisions and to implement the approved Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) Scheme dated 09.10.2025 upon expiry of the exemptions. IndiGo Airlines has further stated that all necessary operational, rostering, and monitoring arrangements are being put in place to ensure full compliance with the approved FDTL scheme with effect from 11 February 2026.
Let’s not forget, there was a small set of flights taken away from IndiGo as well, and these are still being not operated by any other airline. So, a bunch of flights approved in the Winter Schedule are not being operated for the time being.
Bottomline
IndiGo has confirmed that it is in compliance with the new FDTL norms as of February 11, 2026, when the norms came into effect for the airline again. This should hopefully mean there will be no problems for passengers during the busy summer season when travel is for everyone during the school vacations.
What do you think of IndiGo’s preparations for 2026?
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