IndiGo Flight Crisis: Pilot Shortage Triggers Massive Cancellations; Over 1,000 Flights Cancelled in a Single Day
In an effort to prevent aviation mishaps and strengthen flight safety standards, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), under the directive of the Delhi High Court, introduced new regulations for airlines across India. These rules were instituted to reduce pilot fatigue and ensure safer flight operations.
New DGCA Rules for Pilot Duty
As per the revised guidelines:
- The maximum continuous flying time for a pilot has been reduced from 18 hours to 8 hours.
- Mandatory weekly rest of 48 hours must be provided.
- Several additional safety and operational regulations were implemented for airline compliance.
Airlines failing to follow these rules would face penalties and disciplinary action.
Two-Year Transition Period Provided
A transition period of two years was given for airlines to comply with the new rules. During this period:
- Air India, Akasa Air, and SpiceJet began hiring additional pilots and staff to meet the revised requirements.
- However, IndiGo did not utilise this period to recruit more personnel and continued operations with limited pilots and crew.
IndiGo Services Severely Hit Due to Pilot Shortage
Beginning December 1, IndiGo has faced massive operational disruptions due to lack of adequate pilots.
- Hundreds of domestic flights have been cancelled over the last few days.
- On a single day, the airline cancelled around 1,000 flights, leaving thousands of passengers stranded across airports.
Affected travellers reported significant inconvenience as many of them had booked tickets weeks in advance.
IndiGo’s Statement & Expected Recovery Timeline
IndiGo’s CEO has stated that:
- Services are expected to return to normal between December 10 and 15.
Government & DGCA Action
The Civil Aviation Ministry has:
- Launched an investigation into IndiGo’s large-scale service disruption.
- Expressed confidence that flight operations will stabilise by Monday.
