Understanding India's New Pilot Safety Regulations: The Root of IndiGo's Operational Crisis

IndiGo has acknowledged that inadequate planning led to the significant operational disruptions experienced this week.

New Delhi:

India's more stringent pilot fatigue management regulations severely impacted IndiGo operations this week. The airline failed to properly prepare for the necessary roster adjustments, resulting in widespread chaos for the country's largest carrier and causing travel disruptions nationwide.

These new regulations were initially proposed in early 2024 and implemented in two phases throughout the year, with the most recent changes taking effect on November 1. IndiGo has admitted that insufficient preparation for these changes ultimately caused this week's service disruptions.

Below are the key regulations established by India's aviation authority:

Weekly Pilot Rest

Indian regulators increased mandatory weekly rest periods from 36 to 48 hours.

According to government officials, this extension provides pilots with adequate recovery time from accumulated fatigue. Despite the IndiGo crisis, this regulation remains fully in effect.

Maximum Night Landings

The permissible number of landings a pilot can perform during midnight and early morning hours has been reduced from six to two per week, a safety measure implemented because alertness levels are typically lowest during these hours.

In response to the current crisis, authorities have temporarily suspended this requirement for IndiGo until February 10.

Flight Duty

For flights extending into nighttime hours, pilot flying time is now limited to 10 hours maximum. The regulations define night as the period from midnight to early morning.

This requirement has also been temporarily suspended for IndiGo until February 10 due to the current situation.

Rest Time And Leave

When pilots take personal leave, airlines can no longer count this time toward the mandatory 48-hour weekly rest period. Rest periods must be provided separately from any leave, a practice pilots claim was previously disregarded.

Currently, all airlines have received exemptions from this rule to help restore normal air travel operations across India.

Fatigue Report

Airlines are now required to submit quarterly reports on pilot fatigue and detail remedial actions taken to India's aviation regulatory authority.