The government has moved into damage-control mode after IndiGo’s network faced days of operational stress, prompting concerns over flight delays, crew shortages and passenger inconvenience at major airports. A detailed review meeting chaired by the Civil Aviation Minister on Thursday brought together senior officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA), DGCA, Airports Authority of India and top executives of IndiGo to assess the situation and restore normalcy ahead of the peak winter travel season.

The Minister is learnt to have emphasised that passenger convenience must remain paramount and that all corrective steps should be implemented without delay. Following the discussions, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a series of temporary approvals designed to ease the immediate pressure on crew scheduling, training requirements and simulator availability.

Why the government intervened?

IndiGo has been grappling with a sustained rise in winter demand, a heavy leave season and crew-availability issues that collectively strained its operations. Flight delays mounted through the week, with the airline struggling to realign duties across its extensive network.

Officials familiar with the meeting said the government wanted to ensure that the country’s largest carrier did not enter an extended cycle of disruptions during a period when airports are operating at full capacity.

1. FOIs cleared for flying duties

In an unusual move meant for short-term stabilisation, the DGCA has allowed 12 of its own Flight Operations Inspectors — all on lien from IndiGo — to return temporarily to flight duties. They may fly for up to ten days to support crew scheduling and ease the immediate shortage.

2. Validity extensions for examiners

The aviation regulator has also extended the validity of Designated Examiners’ annual refresher and standardisation checks until February 2026. This prevents a training backlog that could have further reduced pilot availability at a critical time.

3. Wider use of simulators authorised

To accelerate checks and recurrent training, IndiGo has been permitted to use Simulator Flight Examiners/ Instructors (SFE/SFI) from other DGCA-approved training organisations in India. Type-rated FOIs may also conduct simulator checks for the airline’s crew.

4. Redeployment of pilots in non-flying roles

Pilots currently engaged in training, administrative assignments or undergoing non-flying refresher duties can temporarily be reassigned to flying, provided they meet safety criteria. This flexibility is intended to unlock additional capacity without diluting standards.

To maintain close watch over operations during this transition phase, the DGCA has positioned its own monitoring team inside IndiGo’s operations control centre. The team is tracking delays, cancellations and passenger handling in real time.
Officials said this measure is meant to ensure complete transparency and quick response in case of further stress points in the network.

Separately, the DGCA has constituted a four-member committee to investigate what triggered the disruption and whether structural issues contributed to the pressure on crew operations. The committee will assess responsibility and review whether the remedial steps being implemented are adequate for long-term stability.

The regulator has also reminded all pilot associations to extend full cooperation during the winter and wedding-travel season when traffic is consistently high and flight operations are particularly sensitive to staffing levels.

Government officials indicated that the relaxations are strictly time-bound and will be reviewed every 15 days. IndiGo, which operates the largest fleet in India, is expected to report progress to DGCA on hiring, training and crew-availability improvements.