Air Travel Chaos Eases as DGCA Rolls Back Weekly-Rest Order That Crippled IndiGo’s Operations
New Delhi, 5th December 2025: After four days of unprecedented chaos at India’s major airports, flight operations are finally expected to stabilise. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) late Thursday revoked the very directive that had plunged IndiGo and other airlines into a nationwide operational crisis, leaving thousands of passengers stranded in long, unmoving queues at Delhi, Pune, Bengaluru and Chennai.
DGCA Reverses Course Amid Nationwide Breakdown
Issuing a late-evening notification, the aviation regulator withdrew its recently introduced “weekly rest” requirement for flight crew—an order that had dramatically tightened fatigue-management and rostering norms.
The DGCA admitted the decision had been taken in view of severe disruptions and repeated requests from airlines unable to cope with sudden staffing shortages.
“Considering the ongoing disturbance in flight operations and representations from airlines, the decision regarding ‘weekly off’ is withdrawn with immediate effect,” the regulator said.
The Rule That Sent Airlines Into Chaos
The withdrawn norms had overhauled crew scheduling practices linked to revised Flight Duty Time Limit (FDTL) rules.
Key requirements included:
-Cutting continuous night duty from six consecutive days to just two
-Tighter limits on crew duty hours
-Mandatory compliance with updated fatigue-management thresholds
These changes, imposed without a transition window, left airlines scrambling to rebuild rosters overnight. No carrier struggled more than IndiGo, which operates India’s most intense schedule.
Passengers Hit as IndiGo Cancels Over 1,000 Flights
The impact on travellers was immediate and brutal. Over the past four days:
-IndiGo cancelled more than 1,000 flights
-Hundreds more were delayed by several hours
-Airport terminals saw chaotic scenes as crowds swelled at check-in desks and airline counters
Many passengers complained of unclear communication, lack of updates and hours-long waits with no certainty on departure times.
Existing Duty-Time Caps Added Pressure
Airlines already operate under strict flight-duty regulations designed to prevent crew fatigue:
-8 hours daily limit
-35 hours weekly limit
-125 hours monthly cap
-1,000 flight hours annually
The sudden roster overhaul, while these limits remained unchanged, further intensified staffing shortages, especially for carriers with tight turnarounds.
Fast-Turnaround Airlines Suffered the Most
Carriers dependent on quick turnarounds and dense flight schedules were hit hardest, as the new norms required additional crew for the same number of flights.
IndiGo’s extensive late-night network faced the most severe operational gridlock, creating a chain reaction of cancellations and bay congestion across multiple airports.
Stability Expected to Return Slowly
With the DGCA rolling back the weekly-rest mandate, airlines have already begun rebuilding rosters and redeploying crew. Aviation officials expect a phased restoration of normal operations over the next few days.
