Amid the ongoing nationwide flight disruptions triggered by IndiGo’s large-scale cancellations, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has withdrawn a key provision that had earlier barred airlines from substituting pilot weekly rest with leave, an official order dated 5 December 2025 shows.
The withdrawn instruction—originally issued under letter DGCA-22011/04/2021-FSD dated 20 January 2025—had stated that “no leave shall be substituted for weekly rest.”
According to the DGCA, the decision to reverse this clause was taken “in view of the ongoing operational disruptions and representations received from various airlines regarding the need to ensure continuity and stability of operations.” The regulator said it found it necessary to review the provision to support smoother airline functioning.
The order, approved by the Competent Authority, states that the instruction is withdrawn with immediate effect. It has been issued by Himanshu Srivastava, Assistant Director of Operations (FSD), on behalf of the Director General of Civil Aviation.
Comes amid massive IndiGo disruptions nationwide
The rule change comes at a time when IndiGo, India’s largest airline, has cancelled hundreds of flights over the past few days, leaving thousands of passengers stranded across airports in Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Ahmedabad.
IndiGo has already cancelled all Delhi departures till midnight and all Mumbai departures till 6 p.m., creating a significant capacity crunch across domestic routes. This operational breakdown has caused ripple effects across the entire aviation network, including fare spikes and congestion at major airports.
The DGCA’s latest step is expected to give airlines temporary flexibility as they attem
