New Delhi: A four-member government committee investigating IndiGo’s recent operational crisis will examine whether the airline spent critical time lobbying the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for exemptions or a delay in implementing the new flight duty time limitations (FDTL) norms, instead of preparing for the 1 November rollout.
According to reports, officials said the panel will look into claims that IndiGo “wasted time” until late October seeking relief from the rules rather than updating systems and crew planning processes.
The inquiry will also assess allegations that the airline wilfully failed to assign duty to pilots and crew, triggering a breakdown in operations that spilt over to other carriers. One key concern is the reported delay in updating the Boeing-owned Japanese crew rostering software, which may have contributed to the disruptions.
The committee, comprising DGCA officials, will further review IndiGo’s failure to report its state of preparedness, something rival airlines had been doing regularly, and evaluate how the regulator monitored the implementation of the court-mandated order.
IndiGo normally issues monthly rosters on the 25th, but for November, it released a partial roster on 29 October and the remaining schedule only by mid-November. A similar pattern followed for December.
In the aftermath of the crisis, the airline has shifted to issuing short-term rosters to maximise flight operations. This practice may continue depending on whether the FDTL implementation is pushed beyond 10 February 2026.
