DGCA Relaxes Night-Duty Rules for IndiGo, Rolls Back Leave-for-Rest Rule: What This Means for Flyers

The Indian aviation authority has provided airlines with urgent relief measures amidst the crew shortages and mass flight disruptions. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has completely scrapped the rule that previously did not permit airlines to interchange crew leave for their obligatory weekly rest. The modification that takes effect immediately allows airlines to have more control over their operations in the human resource crisis they are currently facing.

Why DGCA Reversed the Rule

The clause that was scrapped was a part of the DGCA's January 2025 circular which was very explicit about the matter saying: "not leave shall be substituted for the weekly rest." However, since all the airlines, especially IndiGo, have been facing very difficult operations during the last week, the DGCA took the decision to do a quick review in order to prevent further delays, cancellations, and disruptions across the entire network.

The authority stated that the measure was taken due to a combination of factors including the rising number of cancellations, shortage of staff, and numerous requests from the airlines that they be given temporary relief.

One-Time Night-Duty Relaxation for IndiGo

DGCA has marked its presence in the form of one-time night-duty grant as the Indian airline is the only one benefiting from such privileges. Not only the carrier is getting to operate night till 6 a.m. but also will have its crew working till 6 a.m. on the following day, and finally 5 a.m. on the subsequent day. Nevertheless, the DGCA has indicated that it may still be operational at the night time in the near future.

The DGCA said that it will provide temporary relief only to IndiGo as per its proposal that is meeting safety regulations, but it is not a definitive change in safety legislation.

Order Takes Effect Immediately

The latest rule allows for the airlines to treat the approved crew leave as weekly rest when drafting rosters. This gives them a sizable allowance to deal with the unexpected staffing shortages.

In a memo dated January 12, 2024, by Himanshu Srivastava, Assistant Director of Operations (FSD), it is stated clearly that the restrictions have been “withdrawn with immediate effect.”

What Flyers Should Expect

The aviation sector has experienced a week of chaos, particularly IndiGo which had to cancel a huge number of flights at the major airports such as Chennai and Hyderabad.

The DGCA's involvement is believed to:

• Lower roster burden
• Facilitate quicker return to regular scheduling
• Cut down on last-minute cancellations
• Nonetheless, insiders in the industry indicate that it may take a few more days before things become completely normal again. Hence, travelers are suggested to:
• Regularly check their flight status
• Reach the busy airports early
• Assume the presence of slight delays as the airlines adjust crew schedules

The temporary easements are in place while the airport operations continue to stabilize, and they are aimed at both the passengers' convenience and the smooth travel flow in the coming days.