New Delhi: IndiGo has informed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) that it now has sufficient pilot strength to meet its operational requirements, a key assurance following the operational disruptions that led to widespread flight delays and cancellations in December 2025.
In the latest DGCA review meeting held on Monday, the airline shared data indicating that for February 2026, it will have 2,400 Airbus commanders available against a requirement of 2,280, and 2,240 Airbus first officers against a requirement of 2,050, suggesting adequate crew availability to support its approved flight network.
The assurance comes after IndiGo faced heightened regulatory scrutiny earlier this winter, when operational shortcomings – including inadequate crew buffers, gaps in regulatory preparedness, and weaknesses in manpower and system planning – contributed to disruptions across its network. Regulators noted that an aggressive focus on maximising aircraft utilisation and workforce deployment reduced operational resilience, stretching crew rosters and limiting recovery margins.
To stabilise operations and safeguard passenger safety, the Ministry of Civil Aviation, in coordination with the DGCA, introduced enhanced oversight and immediate corrective measures. Temporary operational relaxations were allowed to help restore stability without compromising safety standards.
According to the DGCA, two Flight Operations Inspectors and one Passenger Facilitation Inspector were deployed to IndiGo’s Operations Control Centre and select airports between January 6 and February 10, 2026, to monitor operations during the stabilisation phase. The inspectors monitored day-to-day operations, passenger handling, and compliance with regulatory norms during the recovery phase.
IndiGo was directed to submit daily reports on flight cancellations and delays, crew positioning and availability, standby and leave utilisation, and overall system performance. The airline was also asked to submit weekly and fortnightly reports on critical operational and manpower parameters, along with a detailed Corrective Action Plan outlining steps to ensure long-term stability and full compliance with revised Flight Duty Time Limitation norms.
The expanded reporting framework covered pilot training pipelines, attrition forecasts, pending endorsements, command upgrades, first officer hiring, pilot release timelines, and fleet availability across Airbus, ATR, and wet-leased aircraft, as well as the balance between required and available pilot strength.
Following the January 19 review, IndiGo told regulators that its operations had stabilised and that it does not expect any flight cancellations after February 10, 2026, on the currently approved network. The airline also confirmed the withdrawal of two FDTL exemptions that had been granted in December 2025, according to a post on X by the DGCA.
Aviation authorities said sustained regulatory oversight and corrective measures have contributed to improved operational stability and service reliability. The DGCA continues to closely monitor IndiGo’s operations, with a focus on roster integrity, crew availability, buffer adequacy, system robustness, and strict adherence to flight duty regulations.
