IndiGo and get your act together fast

In any business, risk management is essential. It becomes especially so in a high-stakes sector like aviation. In Jan 2024, DGCA, after reviewing pilot fatigue reports and global standards, revised flight duty time limitations (FDTL) to ensure safer skies. The new norms increased weekly rest periods, broadened the definition of night duty, and imposed stricter caps on night operations. Though the rules were notified on May 31 with compliance expected by June 1, implementation was later deferred to a phased rollout starting July 1, 2025, and concluding by Nov 1. Yet, as the ongoing IndiGo crisis shows, India's largest airline - operating more than 2,000 flights daily with a fleet of over 400 aircraft - failed to account for the upcoming changes fully. Combined with surging winter demand, crew shortages and scheduling pressures, the result has been severe disruptions.

The cancellations have reignited debate over FDTL rules. Some argue that rosters need time to adjust during transition. Airline Pilots' Association of India has accused IndiGo of 'arm-twisting' DGCA to dilute norms, and flagged 'slot hoarding', claiming carriers submitted aggressive winter schedules without adequate crew. In Pune on Thursday, reported prolonged bay occupancy by grounded IndiGo aircraft triggered fresh congestion and cascading delays and cancellation for others.

The chaos exposes how both the airline and system failed to prepare for a major shift. DGCA must explain why no audit was conducted to assess readiness for new rules. IndiGo's reputation has taken a hit. Its reluctance to follow safety-critical norms has raised concerns. Refunds may cover financial loss, but they do little to ease passenger distress. In India's thriving service industry, this needs fixing Asap.