IndiGo Faces Pilot Shortage
Operations for leading airline IndiGo-which controls 63% of India's domestic passenger market-are becoming increasingly difficult. Its implementation of the latest civil aviation rules issued by the DGCA in January 2024 is behind schedule; the rules were set to originally come into force in November 2025.
The IndiGo has been canceling hundreds of flights every day, thus causing inconvenience to many passengers. The shortage of pilots and crew members is stated to be the main reason behind this move. However, due to the winter travel rush, the DGCA postponed its new rules' implementation to February 10, 2026. Services have started improving slightly after Sunday.
Recruitment Plans for Pilots
IndiGo plans to recruit pilots in large numbers to meet the new rules. English newspapers report:
- IndiGo will hire 158 pilots by February 10, 2026.
- Another 742 pilots will join the company by December 2026, adding to a total of 900 new pilots.
- The company intends to hire 300 captains and 600 junior first officers within the next 12 months.
- Currently, IndiGo operates over 400 aircraft. It plans to expand its fleet further. More night flights mean more pilots.
Current Pilot Training and Recruitment
The following details have been shared by IndiGo with the DGCA:
- 250 junior first officers are currently in training.
- 300 captains and 600 first officers will be recruited or upgraded in the medium term.
- For IndiGo, there are 2,357 captains and 2,194 first officers on its Airbus fleet.
- The company will hire 25 captains and 35 first officers by the end of this month.
- It will hire 28 captains and 35 first officers in January 2026, and another 15 captains and 20 first officers by February 10, 2026.
- Post these hires, IndiGo will have 2,425 captains and 2,284 first officers. The total number of pilots currently with the company stands at 5,456, according to the 2024–25 annual report.
Why the February Deadline Matters
The rules by DGCA are meant to avoid fatigue among pilots. Starting November 1, 2025, a pilot shall operate night flights—12 a.m.–6 a.m.—only for two continuous nights in a week. In case of working for two consecutive nights, one full day's rest is compulsory. The rule applies to all airlines.
Other airlines have fewer problems as they operate fewer night flights. IndiGo operates so many night flights, which has made compliance more difficult.
Challenges in Recruiting Pilots
Analysts say the task of meeting the deadline for recruitment would be tough. Notice time for captains switching companies is 12 months. It is 6 months in the case of co-pilots. Thus, it would be hard to recruit experienced pilots from other airlines quickly.
Foreign Pilots Need Advance Notice
According to Mark Martin, an aviation expert, hiring foreign pilots requires at least three months' notice.
Aircraft and Crew Requirements
- IndiGo today operates a total of 417 aircraft, comprising Airbus A320s, ATRs and a Boeing cargo aircraft leased from Turkish Airlines. Around 40 A320s are grounded owing to engine problems, bringing the operational number of A320s down to 325. Every aircraft flies for around 14 hours daily, as opposed to the industry average of 8.5 hours.
- Assuming 14 pilot sets per aircraft, IndiGo needs at least 17 sets per aircraft to maintain its operations. By this calculation, the airline requires 5,525 crew members. DGCA has recorded only 4,551 crew members available for December, hence, a shortage of 974. IndiGo currently uses 2.5 pilots per aircraft. This is lower than Air India and Akasa Air, which operate with 5.4 pilots per aircraft.
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