In view of massive flight disruptions faced by IndiGo, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has relaxed its new fatigue-management rules that limited the availability of crew for the airline. The DGCA on Friday withdrew its instruction prohibiting the substitution of leave for weekly rest periods for flight crew members, effective immediately.
The decision reverses a specific paragraph in the revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms issued earlier this year, which stipulated that “no leave shall be substituted for weekly rest.” The order issued by DGCA states, “Whereas, reference is invited to the above-mentioned letter, specifically to the paragraph stipulating that “no leave shall be substituted for weekly rest”; and, whereas, in view of the ongoing operational disruptions and representations received from various airlines regarding the need to ensure continuity and stability of operations, it has been considered necessary to review the said provision. Now, therefore, the instruction contained in the referenced paragraph that no leave shall be substituted for weekly rest is hereby withdrawn with immediate effect.”
DGCA withdraws instructions to all operators regarding Weekly Rest for crew members.
— ANI (@ANI) December 5, 2025
"…In view of the ongoing operational disruptions and representations received from various airlines regarding the need to ensure continuity and stability of operations…the instruction… pic.twitter.com/uJXxs6Sxqy
In the official order dated December 5, 2025, the DGCA cited ongoing operational disruptions and representations from airlines as the reasons for the withdrawal. The regulator stated that the move is intended to ensure continuity and stability of operations while airlines adjust to the new rules.
The relaxation comes after significant flight disruptions at IndiGo, India’s largest airline. The carrier has cancelled hundreds of flights in recent days, including over 200 on December 3 alone, due to challenges in implementing the new FDTL norms that took effect on November 1, 2025.
These norms extended weekly rest periods for pilots from 36 to 48 hours and imposed stricter limits on night operations, contributing to roster mismatches alongside technical glitches and weather issues.
Reports indicate IndiGo cancelled around 550 flights nationwide in the past week, with the DGCA launching an investigation into the airline’s preparedness. IndiGo has sought further exemptions from certain night duty rules until February 2026 to restore normal operations.
IndiGo has been accused of not taking enough measures to face the new guidelines which were issued 18 months ago. Other airlines including Air India recruited enough pilots and other crew members to comply new rest rules. But it is being alleged that IndiGo didn’t made new recruitments while continuing to expand its operations.
