NEW DELHI: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has set up a four-member high-level committee to conduct a detailed investigation into the circumstances that led to the severe operational meltdown at IndiGo, which has been cancelling between 170 and 200 flights per day since late November.
The probe was ordered by DGCA Director General Faiz Ahmed Kidwai after the disruptions triggered nationwide passenger inconvenience and put intense pressure on airport operations across India.
According to the regulator, the crisis stems from the full implementation of revised crew duty norms under CAR 7/J/III (2024), covering Duty Period, Flight Duty Period, Flight Time Limitations (FDTL), and mandatory rest requirements. These rules were enforced in two stages, with 15 clauses becoming operational on July 1, 2025, and the remaining seven clauses taking effect on November 1, 2025, following a Delhi High Court order that cleared their rollout in April 2025.
DGCA stated that all airlines, including IndiGo, were repeatedly instructed to plan manpower, restructure crew rosters, and prepare operational systems to comply with the strengthened fatigue-management framework.
Despite these instructions, the DGCA noted that IndiGo failed to anticipate crew shortages, align rosters, and complete required training in time for Phase-II implementation. The regulator said this shortfall in planning and preparedness directly caused the cascading disruptions seen across IndiGo’s entire network from late November.
In meetings with DGCA officials, IndiGo reportedly acknowledged significant shortcomings in its internal assessment of crew needs and admitted it had failed to correctly forecast the staffing levels required to comply with the revised norms.
DGCA stated that these lapses indicate deep-rooted deficiencies in IndiGo’s internal oversight, compliance monitoring, and operational planning processes, making an independent review essential.
To that effect, the regulator has constituted a committee comprising Joint Director General Sanjay K. Bramhane, Deputy Director General Amit Gupta, Senior Flight Operations Inspector Capt. Kapil Manglik, and Flight Operations Inspector Capt. Lokesh Rampal.
The committee has been tasked with identifying the root causes behind the widespread disruption, examining the adequacy of IndiGo’s manpower and rostering systems, and reviewing the airline’s compliance with FDTL CAR 2024.
It will also assess gaps already admitted by IndiGo, determine responsibility for the planning failures, and evaluate whether the airline has taken sufficient corrective steps after being granted a one-time exemption from two key CAR provisions—Para 3.11 and Para 6.1.4—valid until February 10, 2026.
The panel will additionally monitor the airline’s efforts to stabilise operations and restore normalcy.
The committee has been directed to submit its findings and recommendations within 15 days, following which the DGCA is expected to consider enforcement action and strengthen oversight mechanisms to prevent a recurrence of such large-scale disruptions. IndiGo is yet to issue an official response to the DGCA’s order.
