The four-member panel that investigated the massive flight disruptions at IndiGo earlier this week has submitted its report to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, PTI reported. The inquiry committee, headed by DGCA Joint Director General Sanjay K Bramhane, was formed on December 5 to conduct a comprehensive review of the circumstances surrounding the disruptions.
Copies of the report have been shared with the offices of the Civil Aviation Minister, K Rammohan Naidu, and the Civil Aviation Secretary, Samir Kumar Sinha. Other members of the Bramhane-led panel included DGCA’s Deputy Director General Amit Gupta, Senior Flight Operations Inspector Captain Kapil Manglik, and Flight Operations Inspector Captain Rampal.
Earlier this month, IndiGo cancelled more than 1,600 flights in a single day, with inadequate planning in implementing revised pilot rest norms being a key factor in the disruptions.
Following the incidents, the DGCA directed IndiGo, the country’s largest airline, to reduce its winter schedule by 10% and issued show-cause notices to the airline’s CEO, Pieter Elbers, and COO, Isidre Porqueras.
In the order issued on December 5 to set up the panel, the DGCA stated that, prima facie, the situation pointed to deficiencies in internal oversight, operational preparedness, and compliance planning, “warranting an independent examination.”
According to the DGCA order, the regulator had issued repeated instructions to the airline regarding the timely preparation for the implementation of Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms.
The regulator had also noted IndiGo’s failure to accurately forecast crew availability, conduct timely training, and realign rosters, despite prior regulatory warnings. This led to cascading delays and cancellations starting in late November 2025, which resulted in non-compliance with the directives.
Subsequently, the DGCA held a review meeting with IndiGo, during which the airline admitted that it had failed to anticipate the crew requirements under the revised norms. The airline also acknowledged significant gaps in planning and assessment in implementing Phase-II of FDTL CAR 2024, as outlined in the DGCA order.
The Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) related to FDTL were implemented in two phases: the first phase began on July 1, and the second phase came into effect on November 1. “This shortfall directly contributed to large-scale disruptions, with cancellations reaching 170-200 flights daily, severely affecting network integrity and passenger convenience. In November, IndiGo’s flight cancellations were the highest among all airlines,” the order stated.
