New Delhi (Rajeev Sharma): India’s civil aviation regulator has expanded its on-site monitoring of IndiGo as the airline continues to cancel large numbers of flights, raising concerns about staffing levels and long-term planning at the country’s biggest carrier.
IndiGo executives have attributed the wave of disruptions to a mix of technical issues, seasonal schedule shifts tied to winter operations, weather delays, growing congestion across the aviation network, and the airline’s adjustment to new crew-rostering rules. While these challenges affect all airlines to some degree, other carriers have largely maintained normal operations.
The situation has placed IndiGo’s pilot workforce under the spotlight. Over a nine-month period, the airline’s pilot count has declined by 378, even though former Chief Operating Officer Isidro Porqueras had told the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) last year that the transition to updated Flight Duty Time Limit (FDTL) rules would warrant only a 3% rise in pilot numbers.
Government disclosures also highlight the drop. A parliamentary reply earlier this year showed IndiGo had 5,463 pilots as of March 20, 2025. But more recent data provided by Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol on December 8 listed the total at 5,085, reflecting significant attrition during a period of growing operational pressure.
In response, the DGCA has moved to tighten its oversight. The regulator has set up an eight-captain supervisory group, assigning two senior captains and two DGCA officials to be physically based at IndiGo’s Gurgaon headquarters. They will review daily cancellations, crew deployment, unplanned absences, and routes impacted by staffing gaps. Their findings will be compiled in daily reports submitted directly to the DGCA.
The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has been openly critical of IndiGo’s manpower strategy, arguing that the disruption is linked to the airline’s long-standing reluctance to bolster pilot staffing ahead of the full implementation of FDTL norms. The union says IndiGo squandered a two-year transition period by keeping a hiring freeze in place, entering non-poaching understandings with competitors, freezing pilot pay, and adopting cost-driven policies that left its flight operations vulnerable.
While IndiGo insists the disruptions stem from external factors and regulatory changes, the regulator’s intensified scrutiny underscores mounting concern over whether the airline has adequately prepared for the demands of a shifting operational landscape. As the winter travel season unfolds, IndiGo will be under pressure to demonstrate that it can stabilise its network—and rebuild confidence among passengers and regulators alike.
