The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Thursday confirmed that IndiGo will scale down its flight operations starting December 8 as the airline continues to grapple with widespread cancellations triggered by crew shortages and planning gaps.
According to the regulator, IndiGo is facing significant transitional challenges in roster planning and crew availability after the rollout of Phase-2 of the revised pilot duty limitation norms. These rules, which tighten pilot flight and rest requirements, have placed added pressure on the airline’s scheduling system.
The DGCA noted that IndiGo has acknowledged that the disruptions stemmed from misjudgment and planning gaps during the implementation of the new regulations. The airline has also sought exemptions and operational variations from certain provisions of the duty-time rules for its A320 operations until February 10.
With cancellations expected to continue over the next 2–3 days, the regulator said the decision to cut down flying from December 8 is intended to stabilise operations and reduce passenger inconvenience.
IndiGo has been witnessing severe disruptions since December 3, leaving thousands of passengers stranded across major airports. The DGCA has assured that it is closely monitoring the situation and coordinating with the airline to ensure smoother operations in the coming weeks.
