Beleaguered IndiGo is preparing to tap pilot pools in South Africa, Indonesia and the Philippines as it races to meet the February 10 deadline to comply with the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s revised flight duty time limitations (FDTL), multiple people familiar with the airline’s planning told Fe. The carrier needs to secure around 160 additional pilots by the cut-off date, and a sizeable share of that requirement may now be met through expatriate hiring.
Global Recruitment Drive
According to one senior IndiGo executive, the airline is looking at bringing in as many as 50 foreign commanders. IndiGo, he said, wants to avoid bidding wars with Indian carriers for the limited number of available domestic commanders and does not want to risk delays triggered by long notice periods or potential litigation arising from poaching. The airline has conveyed this position to the government and begun discussing faster clearances for foreign aircrew.
A senior government official confirmed that IndiGo has approached both the DGCA and the ministry of civil aviation with a plan to induct up to 50 foreign pilots by February 2026, and has requested timely issuance of Foreign Aircrew Temporary Authorisation (FATA). The official said the government is examining the proposal in the context of the carrier’s ongoing operational strain. IndiGo did not respond to queries sent by FE till the time of going to the press.
The airline has been grappling with disruptions since December 1, including the cancellation of more than 3,500 flights, after failing to prepare adequately for the transition to the stricter FDTL regime. To stabilise the carrier’s operations, the government has granted a one-time relaxation until February 10, 2026.
Last week, IndiGo submitted a detailed manpower plan to the DGCA outlining its target of adding 158 pilots by February 10 and a further 742 pilots by December 2026. Overall, the airline has projected the need to hire about 300 captains and 600 junior first officers over the next year. In its submission, IndiGo acknowledged that it requires 2,422 captains and 2,290 first officers to operate its Airbus fleet under the new FDTL norms, but currently has only 2,357 captains and 2,194 first officers available.
FATA Clearance
Foreign pilots working in India are required to undergo medical evaluation, an English-language oral test and security vetting by the home ministry before receiving a FATA that is valid for one year. As of March 2025, the DGCA had granted FATA to 260 pilots, up from 236 a year earlier, according to official data. These figures exclude pilots flying for charter and helicopter operators.
Air India Express remains the largest employer of expatriate cockpit crew, with 151 foreign pilots on its rolls, accounting for more than 60% of the total. Air India employs 67 expat pilots and IndiGo 42. The higher numbers at Air India group airlines follow the induction of 50 Boeing 737 Max aircraft at Air India Express and 13 Boeing 777s at Air India over the past year. IndiGo has also relied on wet-leased wide-body aircraft, including two Boeing 777-300ERs from Turkish Airlines and two Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners from Norse Atlantic Airways, adding to its immediate crew requirements.