Archive · 5 Jan 2026
IndiGo Cancels Flights Amid Pilot Shortage
IndiGo, a big airline in India, had to cancel many flights in December because they didn't follow new rules about how much pilots can work.
These rules were made to keep flying safe, but IndiGo didn't have enough pilots to follow them.
This caused a lot of flights to be canceled and made ticket prices go up.
Meanwhile, SpiceJet had the most complaints from passengers, with many issues related to flight delays and cancellations.
The government and airlines are trying to fix these problems to make flying safer and better for everyone.
IndiGo canceled 25% of its domestic flights in December due to non-compliance with DGCA's FDTL norms.
The FDTL norms were introduced to align Indian aviation safety standards with global benchmarks.
IndiGo's pilot shortage led to operational chaos and high surge pricing.
The Delhi High Court questioned the regulator's role in allowing the situation to escalate.
IndiGo was granted a one-time exemption until February 2024, then the norms were postponed until February 2026.
SpiceJet recorded the highest complaint rate per 10,000 passengers, rising sharply from 3.9 in November 2024 to 13.8 in October 2025.
From 2021 to October 2025, 36,501 complaints were filed against airlines, with 4.3% linked to staff behaviour.
Flight problems, including delays, cancellations, and denied boarding, climbed from 19% to 41% of all complaints.
- Who
- IndiGo, DGCA, SpiceJet, Air India Express
- What
- Flight cancellations, pilot shortage, passenger complaints, and regulatory compliance issues
- When
- December 2023, 2021 to October 2025
- Where
- India
- Why
- IndiGo's non-compliance with DGCA's FDTL norms and pilot shortage, along with rising passenger complaints in the aviation sector
Regulatory Perspective
IndiGo's Perspective
Compliance with FDTL Norms
Regulatory Perspective
The DGCA's FDTL norms are essential for aligning Indian aviation safety standards with global benchmarks and must be strictly enforced.
IndiGo's Perspective
IndiGo is facing a pilot shortage, making it challenging to comply with the new norms immediately.
- Airline
- IndiGo
- Flights Cancelled
- 25% of 17,000+ domestic flights in December
- Regulatory Norms
- DGCA's Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms
- Rest Periods
- Increased from 36 to 48 hours
- Night Landings
- Reduced from six to two
- Implementation Deadline
- June and November
- Exemption Granted
- One-time exemption until February 2024, then postponed until February 2026
- Pilot Shortage
- IndiGo's main issue
- Complaint Rate
- SpiceJet recorded the highest complaint rate per 10,000 passengers, rising sharply from 3.9 in November 2024 to 13.8 in October 2025.
- Total Complaints
- 36,501 complaints filed against airlines from 2021 to October 2025
- Staff Behaviour Complaints
- 4.3% of total complaints
- Aviation Workforce
- 94,920 in 2024-2025 (FY25), with 13.5% being pilots
- Flight Problems
- Flight delays, cancellations, and denied boarding climbed from 19% to 41% of all complaints
- Passenger Revenue
- Largest share of revenue for Indian airlines comes from passenger services, followed by excess baggage charges and freight.
