Imagine boarding a flight thinking the day will go just as planned — only to find the aviation industry undergoing its biggest safety overhaul in years. New flight duty and fatigue rules have officially kicked in across India, and while every airline must follow them, no carrier has felt the tremors quite like IndiGo.
Flights canceled. Airports packed. Passengers stranded. Confusion everywhere.
So what really changed? Why did these rules suddenly hit IndiGo the hardest? And how long will this disruption last?
With hundreds of flights canceled as a result of new airline safety regulations, IndiGo, one of the most lucrative airlines in India, is dealing with turmoil at its counters at several airports. Although the reforms have impacted the aviation industry as a whole, IndiGo seems to have been particularly hard-hit. Here are some changes that have occurred during this disruption.
IndiGo Cites Weather, Congestion, And New Crew Rules For Disruptions
The last two days have seen widespread disruption across IndiGo’s network and operations. We extend a heartfelt apology to all our customers and industry stakeholders who have been impacted by these events. IndiGo teams are working diligently and making all efforts with the…
— IndiGo (@IndiGo6E) December 4, 2025
“A multitude of unforeseen operational challenges” are to blame, according to IndiGo. These include minor technical issues, winter-related schedule modifications, unfavorable weather, increased aviation system congestion, and the introduction of revised crew rostering regulations (Flight Duty Time Limitations).
The last one is the most significant. Even though most of these factors are not uncommon, the national aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, significantly altered passenger aircraft restrictions in January 2024. In order to improve passenger safety, the new regulations concentrated on giving pilots and crew enough sleep.
What Are The 2025 New Airline Safety Regulations?
To provide safer flight conditions for pilots and crew, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has implemented more stringent fatigue control regulations. Better sleep, fewer night flights, and scientific tiredness monitoring are the main priorities.
Here’s a quick breakdown:
- Weekly Rest: Increased from 36 to 48 hours every 7-day cycle
- Night Duty Window: Extended from 00:00–05:00 to 00:00–06:00
- Maximum Duty: Limited to 10 hours per day if it includes night duty
- 14-Day Duty Limit: Reduced from 100 hours to 95 hours
- Post-Night Duty Rest: Minimum 12 hours or equivalent to duty hours
- Night Landings: Reduced significantly from 6 to 2 per roster
- Fatigue Monitoring: Mandatory FRMS with predictive fatigue tracking
Why IndiGo Was Most Severely Affected
All airlines must follow the rules, but IndiGo’s sheer scale amplifies the impact.
- More than 2,200 flights every day — almost twice as many as Air India
- A 10–20% disruption means 200–400 flights impacted
- Thousands of passengers displaced across multiple airports
- With such a massive fleet and tight scheduling, even small disruptions snowball rapidly.
How Many Flights Were Affected, And When Will Things Get Better?
More than 300 flights have been canceled in the last 48 hours. Over 100 more may be canceled today. Impacted airports include:
- Hyderabad — at least 33 cancellations
- Bengaluru — over 70 cancellations
Passenger frustration is flooding social media. One traveler wrote: “We have been at Hyderabad Airport for more than twelve hours, from yesterday at 6:00 PM to today at 9:00 AM, and IndiGo has not taken any action regarding the Pune flight.”
Another said, “Today at Hyderabad airport, there was complete chaos. Aircraft were delayed by more than twelve hours. They kept pushing it by ‘just 2 more hours’ to avoid making accommodations. Unacceptable.”
IndiGo responded that “calibrated adjustments” are underway and operations should stabilize within the next 48 hours.
DGCA Intervenes — IndiGo Asked For An Explanation
Since passenger traffic is at its seasonal peak, even small disruptions trigger national consequences. DGCA has summoned IndiGo’s top management for a detailed recovery plan.
IndiGo has assured that temporary schedule cuts will help operations stabilize. But the Airline Pilots’ Association of India presented a concerning possibility. They warned the delays could be an “immature pressure tactic” to force DGCA into relaxing safety norms — something that would directly compromise passenger safety.
Their statement added: “Any relaxation granted should be based on scientific assessment and adequate risk mitigation.”
Conclusion
The chaos at Indian airports isn’t just about delays — it’s the growing pain of a safer aviation future. Tighter fatigue rules mean fewer exhausted pilots and fewer risks in the sky. IndiGo’s massive cancellations may feel frustrating today, but they are the result of the biggest pilot safety reform India has seen in years.
As operations stabilize and airlines adapt to the new reality, one thing becomes clear:
Safety comes first. Everything else — even inconvenience — comes second.
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