India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has sacked four senior flight operations inspectors and deployed oversight teams at IndiGo’s headquarters amid an ongoing crisis of mass flight cancellations and staffing shortfalls, significantly disrupting domestic air travel.
The airline’s CEO has been summoned for questioning as regulators press for accountability and operational recovery.
Regulatory Shock
In an extraordinary step, the DGCA terminated four flight operations inspectors responsible for monitoring IndiGo’s safety and operational compliance, citing “negligence in inspection and monitoring,” after the carrier failed to plan effectively for stricter crew duty and rest rules.
The action reflects deep concern about oversight failures that coincided with a wave of disruptions in early December, when IndiGo cancelled thousands of flights, leaving tens of thousands of passengers stranded at major airports across India.
DGCA has also deployed two oversight teams at IndiGo’s corporate office in Gurugram and ordered daily reporting on key operational indicators, including crew utilisation, pilot strength, unplanned leave, and passenger refunds.
Meanwhile, IndiGo’s Chief Executive Officer Pieter Elbers has been summoned by the DGCA to appear before a high-level committee on December 12 and again on December 13 to explain the “serious operational breakdown” and outline corrective measures.
To ease passenger distress, the airline has announced ₹10,000 travel vouchers for travellers affected by cancellations between 3–5 December, valid for one year.
Civil aviation authorities have also directed IndiGo to increase pilot hiring and submitted a revised recruitment plan as part of stabilisation conditions.
Pilot Shortages, Rostering Failures and Regulatory Change
The disruption stems from IndiGo’s inability to align its crew planning with the implementation of Phase-2 of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules – regulatory changes designed to enhance safety by increasing pilot rest and limiting night landings.
These new norms, fully effective from 1 November 2025, significantly increased mandatory rest periods and reduced night duties per pilot. IndiGo had advance notice of the changes, but industry analysts and pilot bodies argue the carrier failed to hire enough pilots or restructure rostering to meet the updated requirements.
At the height of the crisis, flights cancelled daily peaked at over 1,600 on 5 December, and IndiGo’s on-time performance plunged sharply, leaving passengers faced with delays, rebookings and refund backlogs.
Although the DGCA temporarily relaxed certain night-duty restrictions to help stabilise the network, the back-and-forth has drawn criticism from both pilots and consumer advocates, who argue safety standards must remain paramount.
Public anger intensified as holiday travel peaked, with reports of overcrowded airports and passengers being forced to rearrange important plans. Media outlets covered scenes of frustration at major hubs including Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.
As of 11 December, flight activity at Kolkata’s airport approached near-normal levels – handling 337 flights carrying 55,162 passengers – but overall operations remained about 7 % below pre-crisis norms.
IndiGo has also begun resuming full schedules at certain airports such as Hindon Civil Terminal in Ghaziabad, signalling gradual but uneven recovery.
Government and Regulator Push for Accountability and Industry Reform
The government, represented by the Civil Aviation Ministry and DGCA leadership, has taken an assertive stance. Senior officials held multiple convergence meetings with IndiGo’s management, insisting that accountability extend from the airline’s board room to regulators.
The DGCA has mandated on-site inspections across 11 airports to assess baggage handling, customer service responsiveness, delay reporting, and assistance provided to vulnerable passengers, including senior citizens and families.
Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu publicly described the situation as a result of “gross mismanagement,” and signalled that those at fault must face consequences, an indication of political pressure to safeguard passenger interests.
Industry experts say the crisis has exposed structural vulnerabilities in India’s aviation ecosystem – particularly the risks of relying heavily on a single carrier for a large market share, and the need for more proactive workforce and regulatory planning.
Observer comments also highlight how pilot unions had previously warned of fatigue and staffing issues, pointing to long-standing industry concerns that now require serious systemic fixes.
The Logical Indian’s Perspective
This episode in India’s aviation sector is a stark reminder of the delicate balance between passenger safety, operational readiness and accountability. While the introduction of stricter duty-time rules was intended to enhance pilot rest and reduce fatigue-related risks, the failure to ensure a smooth transition reflects broader lapses in planning and oversight.
We believe that safety must never be compromised – and that carriers, regulators and government ministries should work cooperatively to implement necessary changes well ahead of timelines, with transparent communication to the travelling public.
At the same time, empathy for stranded passengers, overburdened staff and smaller carriers who stepped in during the crisis is essential. Systems should be in place that protect consumers, enforce compliance and encourage constructive dialogue within the industry.
