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The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday granted IndiGo Airlines a one-time temporary exemption from specific crew duty regulations to help stabilise flight operations and reduce passenger disruptions.
The regulator said that the exemption covers provisions under Night Duty from 0000-0650 hours and restrictions on night operations of the revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) Civil Aviation Requirements Section 7 Series J Part III Rev 2, Phase-II, applicable to the airline''s A320 fleet, and is valid until February 10, 2026. In its decision, DGCA noted that while the operator is primarily responsible for passenger inconvenience, the exemption is being granted in the public interest to ensure continuity of essential air services. The regulator also stressed that safety requirements must continue to be strictly observed and reserves the right to revoke the exemption if safety is compromised. In a statement DGCA wrote, "Accordingly in public interest, DGCA hereby grants a temporary one-time exemption to M/s Indigo for A320 fleet operations from the following provisions of the revised FDTL Civil Aviation Requirements Section 7 Series 1 Part III Rev 2 Dated 26/09/2024 (Phase-41) 1. Pia 3:11 (Night Duty 0000-6500; 2. Para 6.1.4 (For operations encroaching night duty). Under the conditions of approval, IndiGo is required to submit fortnightly progress reports detailing crew utilisation, steps to enhance crew availability, operability improvements, and revised rostering measures. Additionally, the airline must present a roadmap within 30 days to achieve full compliance with FDTL standards. "Within 30 days, Indigo shall submit a Roadmap for full compliance with FDTL of Civil Aviation Requirements Section 7 Series 1 Part III Rev 2 Dated 26/03/2024 Phase-11. including timelines to achieve 100% adherence," the statement added. Earlier, IndiGo had approached DGCA, citing severe operational challenges, including widespread flight delays and cancellations, following the implementation of Phase-II FDTL rules. The airline highlighted crew shortages and insufficient preparation for the new rostering requirements as key factors behind the disruptions. Meanwhile, IndiGo on Friday issued a detailed public apology to passengers, confirming the full-day cancellation of all domestic departures from Delhi Airport (DEL) on December 5, 2025, amid massive operational disruptions across the country. In its apology, IndiGo said, "To each one of our customers - We are truly sorry and we will take care. We deeply apologise and understand how difficult the past few days have been for many of you. While this will not get resolved overnight, we assure you that we will do everything in our capacity to help you in the meantime and to bring our operations back to normal at the earliest." The airline acknowledged a "serious operational crisis" that has led to widespread cancellations, long airport queues and limited information for passengers. It added that December 5 would see the "highest number of cancellations" as IndiGo undertakes a system reboot to stabilise schedules starting tomorrow. IndiGo assured passengers of multiple support measures, stating, "We will ensure that all refunds for your cancellations will be processed automatically to your original mode of payment. Full waiver on all cancellations/reschedule requests for bookings between December 5-15, 2025." According to the latest report, over 500 IndiGo flights were delayed or cancelled on Friday, causing nationwide inconvenience. (ANI)
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