IndiGo, India’s leading domestic airline, has officially transitioned to the revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms as of today, February 11, 2026. This move marks the end of a two-month temporary waiver granted by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) following a major operational crisis in late 2025. In December, the airline faced a significant “schedule meltdown,” leading to the cancellation of thousands of flights and affecting over three lakh passengers. To stabilize the situation, the regulator had allowed a one-time exemption from certain rest and night-duty requirements. However, that grace period expired yesterday, and the airline has now confirmed to the Ministry of Civil Aviation that all necessary operational and rostering arrangements are in place to ensure 100% compliance with the stricter safety standards.
The new FDTL framework is specifically designed to combat pilot fatigue, which has been a growing concern in the Indian aviation sector. Key changes include increasing a pilot’s mandatory weekly rest period from 36 hours to a continuous 48-hour block and strictly limiting the number of night landings a pilot can perform to just two per week. Furthermore, the “night duty” window has been redefined to account for the body’s natural circadian low, ensuring that those flying during the early hours of the morning have more recovery time. During the exemption period, the DGCA maintained an unusually high level of oversight, even stationing Flight Operations Inspectors at IndiGo’s control center to monitor real-time data and ensure passenger interests were protected while the airline recalibrated its crew strength.
To meet these tighter regulations without further disrupting its massive network of 2,200 daily flights, IndiGo has significantly bolstered its pilot pool. The airline now reports having 2,400 captains and 2,240 first officers, a surplus that exceeds the regulatory requirement for its current fleet. This recruitment drive was essential, as the new rules naturally reduce the number of hours a single pilot can fly each month, requiring more crew members to cover the same flight schedule. While the transition may lead to more conservative scheduling and increased operational costs, the aviation regulator and pilot bodies have emphasized that air safety is non-negotiable, positioning these reforms as a vital step in making the Indian skies safer for both crew and passengers alike.
