IndiGo meltdown continues as airline seeks exemption from FDTL rules and SpiceJet lays on rescue flights

India’s worst airline disruption in years has intensified. Hundreds of flights have been cancelled on Friday, with IndiGo saying that it doesn’t expect services to return to normal until next Wednesday, 10th December.

The airline is now seeking an exemption from the flight duty time limitation (FDTL) rules that it blames for the chaos. However, pilots groups have responded fiercely, saying any exemption would undermine safety and reward poor operational planning.

As cancellations and delays mounted for a second day, rival carrier SpiceJet began operating additional flights on key trunk routes in an effort to absorb stranded passengers.

Update 5/12/2025 @ 13:15 GMT: IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers has released a statement, addressing passengers who have bee impacted by the situation.

In it, he says that “given the size, scale and complexity of our operation, it will take some time to return to a full, normal situation”, suggesting it could take until the 15th December before this happens.

New :

– @IndiGo6E CEO Pieter Elbers finally makes a comment

– Trying to fly stranded passengers first, call centre capacity improved

– Normalisation will take time, rebooting our processes

– Admits it has destroyed IndiGo's credibility built over 19 years

✈️ pic.twitter.com/3pFlKQ3h8d

— Tarun Shukla (@shukla_tarun) December 5, 2025

IndiGo asks DGCA for relief from fatigue rules

With crew shortages worsening under India’s revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) Phase II, IndiGo has formally approached the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) seeking a temporary exemption.

According to industry sources, the request focuses on easing two of the most restrictive new limits: the definition of the night window and the cap on permitted night landings. These rules sharply reduce the pool of legally usable crew for an airline whose network depends heavily on late-evening and early-morning operations.

The DGCA has already made several amendments to the FDTL rules as applied to IndiGo. Today, it withdrew he clause forbidding leave from counting as weekly rest, and also extended the cap on consecutive flight-duty hours from 12 to 14 hours. In a statement, it said,

“In view of the ongoing operational disruptions and representatives from various airlines regarding the need to ensure continuity and stability of operations, it has been considered necessary to review the said provision”.

India’s aviation regulator has also said that the disruption is largely the fault of “misjudgment and planning gaps” in IndiGo’s implementation of the revised flight-duty rules. The DGCA has ordered the airline to file an immediate action plan covering crew recruitment, training, roster redesign, safety risk analysis and other mitigation steps.

Pilots union warns DGCA that IndiGo exemption risks “dangerous precedent”

The Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA India) and IFALPA have issued two strongly worded letters, dated 5 December, condemning the DGCA’s decision to grant IndiGo any FDTL relief.

New :

– Pilot union writes to @DGCAIndia saying exemption to @IndiGo6E reduces public trust in the aviation regulator and damages its neutrality and air safety

– Aviation regulator @DGCAIndia wants pilot unions to help instead

✈️#indigo #delays pic.twitter.com/dFe0ZuER5c

— Tarun Shukla (@shukla_tarun) December 5, 2025

In the first letter, ALPA India writes: “This decision has now set a dangerous precedent… If dispensations can be granted based on each operator’s requirements, then the relevance, authority and intent of the FDTL CAR is defeated entirely.”

The union accuses the regulator of:

• destroying regulatory parity across airlines
• compromising “scientifically established fatigue protections”
• placing millions of passengers at heightened risk
• undermining public trust in DGCA’s neutrality

The second, more detailed letter argues that the DGCA has issued a “selective and unsafe” dispensation that contradicts prior assurances given to pilot representatives on 24 November 2025.

The union states: “By granting these layered, selective dispensations, the DGCA has effectively acknowledged that IndiGo pilots will now fly with reduced rest and increased fatigue.”

It also claims IndiGo had almost two years to prepare for FDTL Phase II, but instead increased winter operations while failing to adjust rosters or hire additional crew. The group demands immediate withdrawal of all exemptions and punitive action against the airline’s accountable management.

SpiceJet steps in with rescue flights

With IndiGo’s cancellations continuing into the evening of 6 December, SpiceJet has begun adding flights on the busiest disrupted routes. Additional capacity will be placed on routes out of Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru.

SpiceJet hasn’t mentioned the IndiGo meltdown in reference to these new flights, simply saying “We have added additional departures today and tomorrow for your convenience.” However, with Indians furious with IndiGo, SpiceJet could claw back some customer loyalty as its competitor continues to struggle.

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