- IndiGo has strengthened its pilot and crew capacity ahead of FDTL exemption expiry in 2026
- The airline now exceeds required Airbus pilots in command and first officers for operations
- DGCA confirms IndiGo's operational stability and no flight cancellations post-Feb 10, 2026
In light of the FDTL exemptions given to IndiGo coming to an end on Feb. 10, 2026, the airline has stregthened its crew and pilot capacity, a press note by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed on Tuesday.
IndiGo now has 2,400 Airbus pilots in command against the required 2,280 for smooth operations. India's largest airline also added more Airbus first officers, lifting its total to 2,240, whereas the requirement is of 2,050, as per the press note.
The press note added that IndiGo assured operational stability and no flight cancellations after Feb. 10, and the sustained regulatory oversight and corrective measures undertaken by IndiGo have resulted in stabilisation of operations.
"DGCA continues to closely monitor the airline's operations, with particular emphasis on roster integrity. DGCA also closely monitoring crew availability, buffer adequacy, system robustness, and adherence to FDTL requirement," the note stated.
Last week, DGCA had slapped IndiGo with a Rs 22 crore penalty for the failure of conforming to the new rostering norms, which led to large scale disruptions and cancellations of flights.
The critics questioned the regulator on social media, asking why stricter action was not taken against the airline. IndiGo commands over 60% of India's domestic aviation market and posted Rs 19,600 crore revenue in Q2FY26.
ALSO READ: DGCA Slaps Rs 22.2 Crore Penalty On IndiGo; Orders Rs 50 Crore Bank Guarantee
IndiGo's Saga Of Cancellations
In the beginning of December, IndiGo's failure to adapt to new crew-rostering rules triggered widespread flight disruptions, leaving lakhs of travellers stranded at airports across the country.
At the centre of the crisis were regulations requiring pilots and cabin crew to get more rest, including 48-hour weekly breaks instead of 36 hours earlier and stricter limits on night landings.
The airline has been accused of failing to make arrangements to comply with the new rules. As a result, IndiGo was left short of crew, forcing it to ground more than half its fleet.
ALSO READ: IndiGo Faces Rs 2,000 Crore Hit From December Flight Disruptions
Watch LIVE TV, Get Stock Market Updates, Top Business, IPO and Latest News on NDTV Profit.
