In a swift response to the massive flight disruptions plaguing India's aviation sector, the Civil Aviation Ministry has taken decisive action. The ministry has put newly proposed pilot duty time limitations on hold and ordered a high-level investigation to determine the root cause of the operational meltdown, particularly affecting the country's largest carrier, IndiGo.
Urgent Measures to Curb Flight Chaos
The Ministry announced "urgent and proactive measures" on December 5, 2025, to address the ongoing crisis that has led to hundreds of flight cancellations and delays. A key part of this intervention is the immediate suspension of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation's (DGCA) new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms. These regulations, which govern how long pilots can work, have been "placed in abeyance with immediate effect."
This move suggests that the recently introduced rules may have contributed to the scheduling chaos, as airlines scrambled to comply with new rest requirements for their flight crews. The suspension aims to provide immediate relief and allow airlines to stabilize their operations using the previous framework.
High-Level Probe into "What Went Wrong"
Beyond the temporary rollback of rules, the ministry has mandated a high-level probe into the entire episode. The investigation's primary mandate is to uncover "what went wrong" and identify the specific failures that led to such widespread passenger inconvenience. The focus will heavily be on the operational preparedness and response of IndiGo, which has borne the brunt of the cancellations.
The probe is expected to examine internal airline processes, crew management, communication protocols with regulators, and the overall contingency planning for such scenarios. The findings will likely shape future policy and oversight to prevent a recurrence.
Implications for Passengers and the Aviation Sector
The cascading effect of the IndiGo crisis has highlighted systemic vulnerabilities in Indian aviation infrastructure and regulation. Passengers have faced:
- Last-minute flight cancellations.
- Significant delays and uncertainty.
- Financial losses and travel plan disruptions.
The ministry's twin actions—halting the FDTL norms and launching an investigation—signal a regulatory pivot towards addressing immediate operational fires while seeking long-term solutions. The goal is to restore normalcy to flight schedules as quickly as possible and rebuild passenger trust. The industry will be watching closely to see how the balance between pilot welfare, operational efficiency, and passenger rights is recalibrated following this probe.
