Indigo disruption: What rule exemptions has the airline asked for amid widespread cancellations?

After having to cancel hundreds of flights this week due to a shortage of aviators, IndiGo told the aviation regulator its operations will be fully restored by February 10.

Thousands of passengers were stranded again on Thursday, the third day of chaos after India's biggest airline failed to make sufficient changes to its roster planning to accommodate new government regulations.

“The disruptions have arisen primarily from misjudgement and planning gaps in implementing Phase 2 of the (Flight Duty Time Limitations), with the airline accepting that the actual crew requirement exceeded their anticipation,” the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said in a statement.

Here are the rule exemptions IndiGo has asked for:

The airline has reportedly asked for relief from some provisions that limit pilot duty hours at night.

According to the new aviation rules, DGCA has increased the amount of mandatory rest per week for commercial pilots by 12 hours to 48 hours. In addition, pilots are now only allowed to make two night-time landings per week, down from six under the old rules.

According to the DGCA's press note, IndiGo has requested relief from the provisions for Flight Duty Time Limitations, the definition of night duty, and for operations encroaching on night duty for A320 operations up to 10 February 2026.

The DGCA said the request is under consideration.

What did IndiGo tell DGCA about cancellations and initial reasons?

According to a DGCA press release, IndiGo briefed the aviation watchdog on the flight cancellations and provided initial reasons for them, including transitional challenges in implementing the revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) CAR, crew-planning issues, and winter-season operational constraints.

• IndiGo said that it is facing significant transitional challenges in roster planning and crew availability under Phase-2 FDTL requirements.
• These issues, combined with winter operational constraints, have contributed to the sharp spike in cancellations and delays.
• IndiGo has requested operational variations/exemptions from specific FDTL provisions to reduce passenger inconvenience while maintaining safety margins.
• The airline has assured DGCA that corrective actions are underway and that normalised and stable operations will be fully restored by 10 February 2026.

• DGCA said that IndiGo has acknowledged that the disruptions occurred primarily from misjudgment and planning gaps in implementing Phase 2 of the FDTL CAR, with the airline accepting that the actual crew requirement for the new CAR exceeded their anticipation.
• The airline said more cancellations will continue for the next 2–3 days as part of schedule stabilisation efforts. “From 8 December onwards, the airline will reduce its flight operations to minimise disruption.”