Could IndiGo have hired more pilots to prevent the crisis?

Starting this month, IndiGo’s operations unravelled as thousands of flights were cancelled. The primary trigger was the airline’s failure to prepare for the new pilot rest and duty norms (Phase II), which came into full effect on November 1, 2025.

These stricter mandates — specifically raising the weekly rest period of pilots from 36 to 48 hours and capping night landings — effectively shrank the available pool of pilot hours. The company informed officials that “misjudgement and planning gaps” led to the fiasco.

IndiGo is managing the current crisis by contracting its daily operations from 2,300 to approximately 1,800–1,900 flights. This creates a distinct ‘lose-lose’ scenario: the airline limits its output, and passengers face reduced connectivity. The impact is magnified by IndiGo