Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Dec 5: India’s aviation regulator has initiated a high-level investigation into the widespread chaos that hit IndiGo’s flight network over the past few days, after large-scale cancellations exposed serious cracks in the airline’s operational planning. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) announced on Friday that a four-member committee led by Joint Director General Sanjay K. Bramhane will look into what triggered the disruptions, which the regulator believes stemmed from shortcomings in IndiGo's internal oversight and preparedness.
Passenger frustration mounted this week as IndiGo struggled to assign crew under the new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms, which require 48 hours of uninterrupted weekly rest and restrict the number of consecutive night shifts. The resulting crew shortages led to daily cancellations in the range of 170 to 200 flights, creating ripple effects across the airline’s extensive network.
The DGCA said initial findings indicated “deficiencies” in the airline’s planning mechanisms, prompting the need for an independent review. The inquiry panel — which also includes Deputy Director General Amit Gupta, Senior Flight Operations Inspector Captain Kapil Manglik, and Flight Operations Inspector Lokesh Rampal — has been instructed to submit its report within 15 days. The outcome is expected to guide regulatory action and institutional reforms.
According to the regulator, the committee will scrutinise the core reasons behind the breakdown, evaluate IndiGo’s manpower forecasting and rostering processes, and review how effectively the airline prepared for the rollout of the revised fatigue-management rules. It will also determine accountability for planning lapses and assess the adequacy of IndiGo’s current recovery measures following the grant of a one-time exemption.
The DGCA noted that all airlines, including IndiGo, had been repeatedly warned to prepare well in advance for the FDTL transition through thorough staffing analysis and roster redesign. Despite this, IndiGo failed to project crew availability accurately, did not complete necessary training on time, and was unable to restructure rosters to meet regulatory requirements — failures that, according to the DGCA, led to cascading delays and cancellations beginning late November.
During a review meeting on Thursday, IndiGo admitted it had underestimated the crew strength required under the updated norms and acknowledged “significant planning and assessment gaps” while implementing Phase-II of the FDTL rules. The regulator emphasised that IndiGo’s cancellations were the highest among all airlines in November, severely disrupting passenger travel and undermining network stability.
The inquiry is expected to provide a clear picture of how India’s largest airline allowed its operations to unravel — and what must change to prevent a repeat of the crisis.