Indigo added 44 Airbus-certified pilots, including 21 captains and 23 first officers, after the airline came under regulatory scrutiny over widespread flight disruptions in December 2025.
Data shared by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in response to a Right to Information application filed by Fe shows that the airline’s Airbus fleet crew strength rose to 2,378 captains and 2,217 first officers as of January 5, 2026. This increase came despite reported crew exits during December.
“As per the submissions of the airline and data available with CPIO (FSD), the Airbus fleet crew strength increased to 2,378 captains and 2,217 first officers as of 05.01.2026, despite reported crew releases during December 2025,” the DGCA said.
DGCA on IndiGo
The regulator added that IndiGo has also expanded its training pipeline over the same period. The number of pilots under training rose from 371 on December 22 to 392 by January 5. Command upgrade activity has continued, with 11 pilots completing upgrade training, 12 undergoing simulator training and five enrolled in the command development programme.
Seven pilots are awaiting P1 licence endorsement, the DGCA said. IndiGo also inducted 50 first officers on January 2 and plans to bring in a total of 100 junior first officers through January, according to the regulator’s response. At the same time, the airline has projected attrition of 71 captains and 12 first officers over the next six months.
What prompted the push from DGCA
The hiring push comes as IndiGo works to meet tighter flight duty time limitation (FDTL) norms introduced by the regulator. The airline has until February 10 to demonstrate adequate pilot strength, failing which it risks further operational restrictions.
In December, severe crew shortages led to large-scale disruptions, prompting the DGCA to cap IndiGo’s winter schedule by 10%. Between December 3 and 5 alone, the airline cancelled 2,507 flights and delayed another 1,852, affecting more than 300,000 passengers.
The disruption resulted in regulatory action, including a cumulative penalty of Rs 22.2 crore and warnings issued to CEO Pieter Elbers and two other senior executives. The DGCA also directed IndiGo to furnish a Rs 50-crore bank guarantee to ensure long-term corrective measures.
Following a review meeting on January 19, IndiGo told the regulator that it now has sufficient pilots to operate its approved network and comply with FDTL norms once the temporary curbs are lifted. The airline said it would be able to maintain operational stability after February 10, when the current restrictions on its winter schedule are set to expire.
According to the DGCA, IndiGo has assured the regulator that cancellations will be avoided once normal operations resume, citing improved crew availability, ongoing training, and the withdrawal of two temporary FDTL exemptions granted in December.