DGCA FDTL Exemption Granted: Centre Slams Emergency Airfare Cap on Domestic Flights Amid IndiGo Crisis
The Government of India has ordered an unprecedented, nationwide cap on domestic airfares, immediately intervening to halt opportunistic pricing as the IndiGo Cancellation Chaos sends ticket prices skyrocketing across the country.
In its strongest intervention yet, the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) on Saturday announced new, temporary maximum fares for economy-class domestic tickets, ranging from ₹7,500 to ₹18,000 based on travel distance, to shield passengers from surge pricing triggered by the mass flight disruptions at the country’s largest airline.
The crisis, which has seen IndiGo cancel over a thousand flights in the last few days, has been primarily attributed to an acute Pilot Crew Shortage Crisis and planning failures in adapting to the revised DGCA Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms.
Fare Cap and Refund Directives
The government’s response is two-fold: restoring operational stability and safeguarding consumer rights. The MoCA directive, applicable to all airlines, imposes the following maximum fares:
- Up to 500 km: ₹7,500
- 500–1,000 km: ₹12,000
- 1,000–1,500 km: ₹15,000
- Above 1,500 km: ₹18,000
Simultaneously, the ministry has issued an ultimatum to IndiGo: the airline must process all pending passenger refunds for cancelled flights by 8:00 PM on Sunday, December 7. The MoCA statement warned that non-compliance would invite “immediate regulatory action.” Airlines have also been strictly instructed not to levy any rescheduling fees on affected travellers.
DGCA Grants FDTL Exemption for Stabilisation
To urgently restore operations, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) granted IndiGo a temporary, one-time FDTL Rule Exemption from certain night-duty-related provisions for its A320 fleet, valid until February 10, 2026.
This temporary relaxation, which was reportedly requested by the airline, is aimed at immediately augmenting crew deployment and stabilising the network. The DGCA, however, stressed that this Government Intervention IndiGo measure is solely to facilitate operational stability and does not constitute a dilution of safety requirements. The regulator has mandated that the airline submit fortnightly progress reports on crew utilisation and a 30-day roadmap for full FDTL compliance.
High-Level Probe Ordered
Amidst the growing outrage from stranded passengers and the acknowledgement of “misjudgment and planning gaps” by the airline, the DGCA has constituted a four-member High-Level Inquiry Aviation committee. This committee is tasked with investigating the underlying causes of the breakdown, assessing the adequacy of the airline’s manpower planning under the revised norms, and fixing accountability for the operational lapses.
The MoCA anticipates that flight schedules will begin stabilising within 24 hours, with full normalcy expected by early next week, backed by the DGCA FDTL relaxation and the assurance of Automatic Refunds and full waivers from the airline. This crisis has highlighted the fragility of the Indian aviation sector’s dependence on a single large carrier.
