IndiGo fiasco: Government probe to cover why airline delayed preps for new norms

NEW DELHI: Did IndiGo "waste time" till late October lobbying DGCA to either get exemption from certain rules in the new flight duty time limitation (FDTL) norms or getting its implementation deferred beyond the November 1 deadline, instead of preparing for it?

The four-member government panel probing the IndiGo's flight crisis will examine this, along with allegations that the airline wilfully didn't assign duty to its crew and pilots in addition to several other lapses which led to a breakdown of operations, affecting other airlines as well.




Short-term rosters being issued to tide over crisis

The delay in moving ahead with implementation of the new flight duty rules is also seen to have delayed updating the Boeing-owned Jeppesen crew rostering software, which will be looked at by the committee comprising officials from DGCA. IndiGo did not comment on the two issues.

The panel will also investigate the airline's failure to report preparedness to DGCA, something that its rivals were doing, and how the regulator itself dealt with the implementation of the order that followed a court directive. Those familiar with the matter said that why DGCA officials continued to indulge representations from IndiGo despite a clear HC order for the rollout of FDTL would also be probed.

"We will see if till late Oct IndiGo was engaging with DGCA for exemption /deferment of certain clauses of the new FDTL, primarily regarding capping of number of night landings by a pilot. If indeed the case, this time should have been used to prepare for rolling out the new system. And if this delay is found, did it have a consequential impact on updating Jeppesen software as per the new requirement post November 1," said a person in the know.

IndiGo issues the roster for pilots on every 25th for the coming month. For Nov, however, it issued it on Oct 29, for half the month, followed by another on November 13-14 for the remaining half. The same was done for Dec. But after the fiasco, very short-term rosters are being issued to tide over the crisis and operate as many flights as possible. The practice may continue till the situation stabilises, depending on whether implementation of the new FDTL's provisions is deferred beyond Feb 10, 2026, or not.