IndiGo has boosted its pilot buffer and crew-to-aircraft ratio, prompting government officials to expect minimal flight disruptions when exemptions on pilot rest periods end on February 10. The airline’s crew buffer, which was zero in December, has risen to 3% in February, while standby pilot levels have also been strengthened, according to officials familiar with the matter.
IndiGo Faces Regulatory Action After December Crisis
In December, IndiGo faced an operational breakdown, canceling over 5,000 flights and receiving a record ₹22.2 crore penalty from aviation regulators. The incident also led to accountability measures against its top management. To help the airline cope, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) granted temporary exemptions from night-duty restrictions starting December 6, allowing IndiGo to operate beyond certain flight duty time limitations (FDTL) until February 10.
IndiGo Operations Expected to Stabilize, Say Officials
A senior government official said, “We are expecting minimal flight disruptions due to FDTL violations.” Another official added, “A review on IndiGo operations was conducted on 6th and they are on track.” This confidence is based on IndiGo’s updated rostering plans, which show a higher number of pilot crews per aircraft, an expanded reserve pilot pool, and ongoing recruitment to offset attrition.
IndiGo Roster Shows Adequate Crew Sets
Government data indicates that IndiGo has begun scheduling seven crew sets per aircraft, with the February roster showing 7.2 sets, up from 7.1 in January. “Crew sets measure how many complete pilot teams the airline has for each aircraft in its fleet,” an official explained. By comparison, the airline had fewer than six crew sets per aircraft during the December crisis. “Crew buffers have increased from zero in December 2025 to 3% in February, while standby crew levels have been raised to a minimum of 15%,” the official added.
IndiGo Expert Highlights Pilot-to-Aircraft Ratio
Aviation expert Capt Mohan Ranganathan noted that the figures must match actual operations. “The airline claims 7.2 sets, meaning 7.2 captains and 7.2 co-pilots for each aircraft. What matters is the captain-to-co-pilot ratio, not total pilot headcount, and the assessment must be based on aircraft actually flying, as many are grounded for engine issues. If the numbers given to DGCA meet this requirement, there should be no disruptions due to FDTL, but if they do not align with the claimed 7.2 sets, the roster cannot be sustained.”
IndiGo Hiring and Attrition Plans
IndiGo had 5,085 pilots for around 350 active aircraft as of December 2025. The airline hired 100 trainee first officers in January and plans ongoing training for 20 pilots monthly and about 75 first officers every alternate month. Attrition over the next six months is expected to be 81 captains and 12 first officers, with 19 captain retirements projected in the next year.
IndiGo Flight Disruptions Driven by Weather, Not Pilots
A government review found that January flight cancellations were mostly caused by weather and airspace restrictions, not pilot duty rules. “Based on the data reviewed by the ministry, recent flight cancellations and disruptions seen in the second half of January were largely due to weather, airspace restrictions, and other operational factors,” an official said. Between January 15 and 31, IndiGo operated around 90% of planned services, with 284 flights canceled, mainly due to adverse weather and cascading effects on schedules.
IndiGo Operations Seen Stable by DGCA and Pilot Body
The DGCA has been monitoring IndiGo since the December meltdown. “There is no indication to the regulator so far that pilot duty time norms have led to flight cancellations affecting passengers since last month,” a government official said. CS Randhawa, president of the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP), added: “IndiGo has raised crew strength, including standby pilots, by about 15% and begun following the night-landing restrictions under the new FDTL from early February, but as per me, even without these, the airline always had more than adequate pilots. The standard requirement for an Airbus A320 is seven crew sets, or 14 pilots per aircraft, which already factors night operations, sickness, training, medicals, leave, time off, standby duties, etc., and IndiGo still shows a surplus of pilots. With the current operational fleet, there is no reason to expect cancellations once the deadline ends.”
