The biggest airline in India, IndiGo, is being investigated by a government panel to find out if it neglected to prepare for new safety regulations and instead took its time requesting exemptions before a significant crisis struck the sector. Travel across the nation was hampered by many airline delays and cancellations in early December 2025, which prompted the review.
The probe is focused on how IndiGo handled the Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms, a set of updated safety guidelines governing pilot duty hours and rest periods that came into effect on November 1, 2025. Officials will examine whether the airline spent weeks trying to obtain relaxations from the rules instead of taking steps to implement them properly.
The four-member committee, formed in the wake of the disruptions, will also review allegations that crew duty assignments were not aligned with regulatory requirements, which may have contributed to the operational breakdown, according to sources. The panel plans to analyse IndiGo’s interactions with the aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), particularly in the weeks before the new norms were enforced.
Officials familiar with the review said investigators will check whether IndiGo pushed for exemptions or a postponement of certain provisions, such as limits on night landings, at a time when preparations should have been taking place. They will also look into the airline’s delayed adoption of updated crew scheduling software, which was required under the updated rules.
The panel will contrast IndiGo's response to the rule changes with those of other carriers, some of which were able to apply the regulations without causing significant disruptions. Critics claim that IndiGo was exposed to higher regulations due to inadequate planning and staffing levels, which resulted in widespread cancellations at important airports.
IndiGo has not made any public statement on the investigation. At the same time, regulators are also being questioned, as Parliament and other authorities review whether better enforcement could have prevented the disruption.
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