We know by now that IndiGo‘s failure to adjust to the newer, stricter pilot rest rules led to the massive shortage of available crew, even though the airline had almost two years to prepare. However it is still unclear whether the DGCA kept track of IndiGo’s preparedness in the last six months to meet the new Flight Duty Time Limitations. New information revealed by The Indian Express suggests that IndiGo’s annual reports for 2023–24 and 2024–25 did not mention the new FDTL rules at all. It had no mention in the airline’s risk management reports either.
The 2024–25 report instead states that IndiGo stayed alert and in touch with government and regulatory agencies to remain prepared, identify challenges, and comply smoothly with changing regulations. It also said that, as part of the Federation of Indian Airlines and the International Air Transport Association, the airline takes part in industry discussions to support policies that help aviation grow. The report adds that IndiGo sought guidance from international experts whenever needed to follow the best industry standards and manage risks effectively.
Board response to flight disruptions
IndiGo on Saturday said that its board held a meeting on the very first day the wave of cancellations and delays began, and received a full briefing from the management. After this, the board members met separately and decided to create a Crisis Management Group. This group includes Chairman Vikram Singh Mehta, directors Gregg Saretsky, Mike Whitaker (former FAA chief), Amitabh Kant (former NITI Aayog CEO), and CEO Pieter Elbers. According to the statement, the group has been meeting regularly and has also held several phone discussions with other board members to keep track of the situation.
The main issue the board must address is how often it checked with the management about preparations for the new Flight Duty Time Limitation rules, pilot rest requirements that the DGCA had announced in January 2024.
Delay in implementing new pilot rest rules
The updated rest rules for pilots were originally supposed to start on June 1, 2024. Airlines opposed the move, leading to a delay in March 2024. Later, the DGCA and the government informed the Delhi High Court that the rules would be rolled out in two stages- on July 1, 2025 and November 1, 2025.
Questions sent by IE to board members Whitaker and lawyer Pallavi Shroff, as well as messages to Mehta, former IAF chief BS Dhanoa, and Damodaran, went unanswered. Amitabh Kant replied that he had only recently joined the board on September 15 and felt it would not be right for him to comment, suggesting that queries be directed to the chairman and CEO.
On Saturday, the fourth day of widespread cancellations, the DGCA issued a notice to CEO Elbers and COO Isidre Porqueras, saying they had 24 hours to explain major planning failures. This deadline has now been extended by another day.
Questions over Board oversight
Aviation experts and former officials are asking whether the board did enough in the months before the crisis, especially when it was clear that pilot shortages could lead to major disruptions. One former bureaucrat and corporate governance specialist questioned whether the board’s seven-member Risk Management Committee was closely tracking progress. The committee, led by Saretsky, includes CEO Elbers and members Dhanoa, Whitaker, Damodaran, Kant, and Anil Parashar.
DGCA probe
The DGCA is currently investigating what exactly led to IndiGo’s severe operational meltdown. Because of the scale of the chaos, the government and the regulator temporarily granted the airline some exemptions from the new duty and rest rules so it could stabilise its schedule. Both the DGCA and the Ministry of Civil Aviation have said they will thoroughly examine the causes of the disruption and take strong regulatory action.