India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has withdrawn its instruction prohibiting airlines from substituting weekly rest with leave for crew members, effective immediately.

The reversal follows days of severe nationwide disruptions-most notably at IndiGo, which cancelled more than 1,200 flights in under a week due to crew shortages and stricter fatigue-management rules under Phase-2 of the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL).

Airlines welcomed the move, saying the earlier restriction made rostering unworkable, while the DGCA maintains the rollback still preserves safety standards.

IndiGo has now announced flight cuts from 8 December and expects normal operations to be fully restored by 10 February 2026.

DGCA Withdraws Weekly Rest Restriction

The DGCA’s circular dated 5 December 2025 marks one of the most consequential regulatory reversals in India’s recent aviation history.

In the notice issued with the approval of the Competent Authority the regulator explicitly withdrew the instruction contained in a January 2025 communication which had stated that “no leave shall be substituted for weekly rest.”

The DGCA said the decision was compelled by “ongoing operational disruptions and representations from various airlines regarding the need to ensure continuity and stability of operations.”

This language reflects the mounting pressure airlines faced as crew shortages collided with new FDTL rules, creating a perfect storm that crippled India’s largest carrier.

Senior officials emphasised that the rollback does not dilute fatigue-management standards, but rather “restores necessary workforce flexibility” while ensuring airlines continue to adhere to mandated rest hours.

An aviation ministry official told reporters that the intent “is to stabilise operations swiftly while retaining the spirit of the updated safety framework.”

Airlines, many caught off-guard by the impact of the January rule when combined with the FDTL overhaul, described the change as a “timely and crucial intervention.” Several carriers had formally petitioned the DGCA, emphasising that prohibiting the use of leave as rest while simultaneously imposing higher weekly rest requirements was operationally impossible without mass cancellations.

A Week of Disruptions: IndiGo at the Centre of the Storm

The turbulence reached a breaking point as IndiGo, India’s largest airline by market share, cancelled hundreds of flights daily across major hubs including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

Passengers reported hours-long queues, unannounced cancellations, last-minute gate changes and chaotic scenes at terminal counters as thousands were left stranded.

According to DGCA monitoring data and airline disclosures:

• More than 1,200 flights were cancelled in five days, with some days seeing over 500 cancellations.
• Airlines cited crew unavailability, worsened by the inability to assign accumulated leave as weekly rest.
• Airport operators scrambled to manage crowding, baggage pile-ups, and passenger grievances.

A DGCA probe is underway to examine the root causes of the disruptions including whether airlines had adequately prepared for the implementation of Phase-2 FDTL norms.

The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) also wrote to the regulator recently, alleging “cartel-like behaviour” in the industry, citing IndiGo’s hiring freeze and growing fatigue among pilots.

Experts say the crisis reflects a structural vulnerability in Indian aviation: high utilisation, lean crew strength, and an overreliance on tight rostering margins that collapse when regulatory reforms tighten rest periods.

Understanding the New FDTL Norms

Phase-2 of the revised Flight Duty Time Limitations rules, implemented earlier this year, is the most stringent update in a decade. Key changes include:

1. Weekly rest extended from 36 to 48 hours

While aligned with global fatigue-risk standards, the shift demanded more crew per aircraft, something many airlines had not staffed for.

2. Capping night landings from six to two per week

This significantly restricted overnight scheduling, which airlines use intensively in India’s metro-to-metro sectors.

3. Redefining “night duty” to begin earlier

Pilots now enter fatigue-critical work windows sooner, reducing the total duty hours airlines can roster them for.

4. Mandatory fatigue-risk reporting protocols

Airlines must document and act on pilot fatigue reports, further limiting flexibility.

IndiGo, operating more than 1,900 daily flights, struggled the most. Its fleet size depends on dense turnaround cycles, leaving little room for disruption. With the weekly rest rule unmodified, one senior pilot likened the situation to “removing a pillar from a load-bearing wall.”

Facing mounting cancellations, IndiGo has informed the DGCA that it will reduce flight operations from 8 December to stabilise schedules. It now aims to return to full operational normalcy by 10 February 2026.

Other carriers, with smaller networks but similar rostering structures, also warned the DGCA of impending disruptions if relief was not granted.

Passenger Fallout: A National Travel Breakdown

The operational crisis left passengers across India frustrated and stranded. Social media was flooded with accounts of:

• Travellers missing international connections
• Students stranded overnight at airports
• Families unable to reach weddings, medical appointments, and year-end events
• Elderly passengers complaining of hours without assistance or clarity

The aviation regulator instructed airlines to offer refunds, alternate flights, and ensure stranded travellers received timely communication. Meanwhile, consumer rights groups urged the government to consider stronger compensation mechanisms during mass disruptions.

Airport authorities, especially in Delhi and Bengaluru, had to mobilise extra staff to manage crowd surges.

The Logical Indian’s Perspective

The DGCA’s decision to withdraw the weekly-rest substitution restriction is a pragmatic, necessary correction but also a reminder of how deeply interconnected worker wellbeing, consumer experience, and regulatory design truly are.

Fatigue-management reforms are essential for aviation safety, but their success relies on thoughtful, phased, adequately staffed implementation.

India’s aviation ecosystem must embrace collaborative policymaking, where regulators, airlines, pilot unions, and airport operators jointly plan transitions.

Sudden rule-changes without operational cushioning can create crises that undermine both safety and public trust.

The way forward lies in empathetic governance, humane scheduling for crew members, transparent communication with passengers, and better industry preparedness—ensuring policies uplift rather than destabilise.