IndiGo is currently doing some major damage control. As of Tuesday, December 30, 2025, the airline’s parent company, InterGlobe Aviation, watched its stock price dip nearly 2% (trading around the ₹5,000 mark).
The thing is, the “king of the Indian skies” is suddenly looking a little vulnerable. Or nothing. Let’s be real, you don’t cancel 4,500 flights in a single month without some serious fallout. Those too.
Also Read | Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi Sentenced to 17 Years in Jail
The “Pilot Peace Offering”: What’s Changing?
IndiGo is hiking pilot allowances starting January 1, 2026. It’s a clear move to fix “morale issues” after the massive rostering meltdown we saw earlier this month.
| Allowance Category | Old Rate (Captain) | New Rate (Captain) | The Logic |
| Domestic Layover | ₹2,000 | ₹3,000 | To compensate for being away from home. |
| Deadheading | ₹3,000 | ₹4,000 | Paid when pilots fly as passengers to “position” for duty. |
| Night Allowance | Multiplier-based | ₹2,000/hour | To offset the strain of the new FDTL norms. |
| Tail-Swap | ₹0 | ₹1,500 | New fee for switching aircraft mid-shift. |
Also Read | Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi Sentenced to 17 Years in Jail
Field Notes: The Numbers That Hurt
It’s an ongoing situation where the “efficiency first” model finally hit a wall.
-
The Market Share Slide: DGCA data just confirmed that IndiGo’s domestic dominance slipped from 65.6% in October to 63.6% in November.
-
The Competition Gains: Air India Group (26.7%) and SpiceJet (3.7%) are the ones picking up the pieces.
-
The “Winter Trim”: The regulator (DGCA) has already forced IndiGo to cut its winter schedule by 10% because they clearly don’t have the “buffer” crew to fly it.
-
The CCI Probe: The Competition Commission of India is now sniffing around to see if IndiGo’s dominance (and subsequent meltdown) actually harmed consumer welfare.
And here’s the kicker: pilots are calling this a “small correction.” For a senior captain making ₹9.5 lakh, this hike is barely a 1% bump. It’s a start, but it might not be enough to stop the “fatigue” talk.
Also Read | Imran Khan and Bushra Bibi Sentenced to 17 Years in Jail
End…
