India’s largest carrier, IndiGo, has officially entered a new phase of regulatory scrutiny. Following a tumultuous winter marked by mass cancellations, the airline informed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on February 11, 2026, that it is now fully prepared to adhere to the revised pilot rest and duty hours.
The shift marks the end of a 68-day temporary exemption granted in December 2025, which allowed the airline to bypass certain night-landing caps to prevent a total collapse of its domestic network.
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The 48-Hour Rest Rule: What the New FDTL Norms Mandate
The revised FDTL Rules 2025 are designed to combat pilot fatigue, which was identified as a critical risk factor during the peak of the travel season.
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Increased Weekly Rest: Pilots must now receive 48 consecutive hours of rest per week, up from the previous 36-hour requirement.
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Night Duty Redefined: The “night” window is now 00:00 to 06:00 (previously ending at 05:00).
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Landing Caps: For flights operating within the night window, pilots are now restricted to just two landings, down from the previous limit of six. This change hit IndiGo the hardest due to its dominance in early-morning and “red-eye” flight sectors.
December 2025 Crisis: From 63% Market Share to Regulatory Crackdown
The airline’s struggle to adapt to these norms in late 2025 led to what industry experts call the “Scheduling Meltdown.”
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The Numbers: Over 5,500 flights were cancelled in December alone, affecting nearly 10 lakh passengers.
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Market Impact: IndiGo’s domestic market share slipped from 63.6% in November to 59.6% in December, as competitors like Air India and Akasa Air picked up the excess demand.
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The Root Cause: A DGCA probe concluded the disruption was caused by “over-optimisation of operations” and a failure to hire sufficient crew buffers ahead of the rule change.
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Operational Stabilisation: Pilot Buffers and “Red-Eye” Limits
To satisfy the regulator, IndiGo has significantly increased its “bench strength.”
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Current Staffing: The airline currently employs 2,400 Pilots in Command (PICs) against a requirement of 2,280. Similarly, it has 2,240 First Officers, providing a buffer over the 2,050 required for its current schedule.
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Slot Vacations: To avoid last-minute chaos, IndiGo has vacated 717 slots at domestic airports, including 364 from metro hubs like Delhi and Mumbai. This 10% capacity cut is mandatory until the end of the winter schedule in March 2026.
Financial and Legal Blowback: Fines, Guarantees, and Competition Probes
The fallout from the scheduling crisis is not just operational; it is financial and legal.
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The Penalty: The DGCA slapped the carrier with a ₹22.2 crore fine.
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The Guarantee: A ₹50 crore bank guarantee was mandated to ensure long-term systemic corrections.
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CCI Investigation: On February 5, 2026, the Competition Commission of India (CCI) ordered a probe into whether IndiGo’s mass cancellations created an “artificial shortage of seats,” potentially abusing its dominant market position to drive up airfares.
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[INDIGO OPERATIONAL METRICS: FEB 2026]
| Category | Status / Value | Regulatory Status |
| Daily Flights | ~1,930 Domestic | Under 10% Curtailment |
| Weekly Rest | 48 Hours | Compliant |
| Night Landing Cap | 2 Landings | Compliant |
| Bank Guarantee | ₹50 Crore | Active |
Next Steps
If you are a passenger with an upcoming IndiGo flight in February or March, you should check your flight status 48 hours in advance, as the redistribution of vacated slots to other airlines may lead to minor gate or timing changes. Furthermore, if you are a traveler affected by the December cancellations, you should ensure your refund claim has been processed, as the Ministry of Civil Aviation has set up a dedicated hotline for pending FDTL-related compensation.
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