India’s largest carrier, IndiGo, has officially informed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) that it is now fully prepared to adhere to the revised pilot rest and duty regulations. This announcement on Wednesday, February 11, 2026, marks the end of a turbulent two-month period of “intensified monitoring” following a systemic collapse of the airline’s operations late last year.
The transition back to statutory norms is a critical step for InterGlobe Aviation, which has faced unprecedented scrutiny over its crew rostering and management structure.
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Back to Standard: The End of the FDTL Exemption
The temporary “cushion” provided to IndiGo by the regulator has officially expired.
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The Deadline: The one-time exemption from specific provisions (Para 3.11 and Para 6.1.4) ended on February 10.
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Night Duty Relief: During the waiver, IndiGo was allowed limited flexibility regarding night duty hours and the frequency of night landings to stabilize its schedule.
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Real-Time Oversight: For the last 60 days, Flight Operations Inspectors (FOIs) were stationed inside IndiGo’s Operations Control Centre to monitor pilot fatigue in real time.
The December Meltdown: Investigation and Penalties
The current compliance push stems from the “December Meltdown” of 2025, where the airline’s network buckled under the weight of new rules and winter fog.
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Massive Disruptions: Between December 3 and 5, 2025, IndiGo cancelled over 2,500 flights, stranding nearly 300,000 passengers.
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Regulatory Findings: The DGCA inquiry blamed “over-optimization”—designing rosters with zero buffer for delays—and gaps in software support.
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Financial Impact: The airline was slapped with a record ₹22.2 crore fine and forced to deposit a ₹50 crore bank guarantee as collateral for future compliance.
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Management Shakeup: The Senior VP of the Operations Control Centre was relieved of his duties following the probe.
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What are the New FDTL 2025 Norms?
The revised rules, which were first rolled out on October 9, 2025, are designed to combat pilot fatigue, which has been a growing concern in Indian aviation.
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Enhanced Rest: Pilots must now receive a mandatory weekly rest of 48 hours, up from the previous 36-hour requirement.
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Night Landing Caps: The number of landings a pilot can perform during “night duty” (0000 to 0600 hours) has been strictly capped to two.
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Quarterly Reporting: Airlines must now submit Quarterly Fatigue Reports to the DGCA to ensure rosters are not compromising safety for commercial gain.
Market Impact: Stock Surges as Compliance Stabilizes
The market responded positively to the news of full compliance. Shares of InterGlobe Aviation rose by approximately 1.5% to 2% in Wednesday’s intraday trading on the NSE.
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Market Share Recovery: After slumping to 59.6% in December from a high of 63.6% in November, analysts expect IndiGo to regain its foothold as operational reliability returns.
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Refund Status: The airline has confirmed that all refunds for the December cancellations have been processed, accompanied by “Gesture of Care” vouchers worth ₹10,000 for affected flyers.
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[INDIGO PILOT CAPACITY VS. REQUIREMENT (FEB 2026)]
| Role | Required Count | Actual Count | Status |
| Pilots in Command (Captains) | 2,280 | 2,400 | Surplus |
| First Officers | 2,050 | 2,240 | Surplus |
Next Steps
If you are traveling with IndiGo this week, you should experience fewer crew-related delays as the airline now maintains an “optimum pool” of standby pilots. Furthermore, if you are an affected passenger from the December disruptions who hasn’t received your ₹10,000 travel voucher, you should contact the IndiGo Nodal Officer with your original PNR to claim your “Gesture of Care” credit.
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