IndiGo Braces For Full Compliance As FDTL Exemption Expires, Claims Optimum Pool Of Pilots

Mumbai, Feb 09: IndiGo concluded its 68-day temporary reprieve from stricter Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms on Tuesday. As the exemption granted by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) expires, the airline has assured regulators and the public that it now maintains an “optimum pool” of pilots to sustain smooth operations starting Wednesday.

Background of exemption

The transition marks a critical turning point for the airline, which suffered a massive operational meltdown in December 2025, leading to around 5,689 flight cancellations and a record penalty of Rs 22.2 crore.

The DGCA in December had provided an exemption from a few provisions of the new FDTL rules to the airline till February 10. The revised rules increased the weekly rest hours for pilots and reduced night duty hours and permissible maximum night landings.

Pilot availability claims

In January, IndiGo had claimed that it had adequate pilot availability against the projected operational requirement for stable operations after February 10.

According to the figures, the airline said it has 2,400 Airbus captains against the requirement of 2,280, and 2,240 first officers against the requirement of 2,050 personnel for its daily operations.

Airline’s assurance

On Tuesday, IndiGo said that it has integrated the new set of rules into its crew rosters and planning and is maintaining enough pilots to run operations smoothly.

“We have already integrated the new set of rules into our crew rosters and planning. As assured to the regulatory authorities earlier, we are maintaining an optimum pool of employees, including pilots, to ensure stable operations across our network,” said the airline’s spokesperson.

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Strengthening crew strength

According to sources, the airline has significantly ramped up its pilot-to-aircraft ratio and crew buffers. As per data submitted to the DGCA, the airline has moved from a “lean” staffing model to a more resilient structure by having surplus crew over minimum operational requirements.

The airline is said to have hired 100 trainee first officers in January and aims to train about 20 pilots every month and induct about 75 first officers every alternate month.

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