India’s largest airline, IndiGo, is racing against time to hire more pilots and crew members to meet new safety rules set by the aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The airline must comply with these rules by February 10, failing which it could face operational restrictions.
The new DGCA norms focus on Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL). These rules reduce how long pilots can work and increase mandatory rest periods. The aim is to improve safety and reduce pilot fatigue. However, these changes mean airlines now need more pilots to operate the same number of flights.
To meet the requirement, IndiGo has launched an aggressive hiring drive. It is offering attractive incentives to experienced pilots from other airlines. These include joining bonuses of up to ₹50 lakh, preferred home base postings, and assured flying hours during the initial months. In some cases, long-term contracts may carry benefits worth up to ₹1.25 crore if pilots stay with the airline for a fixed period.
IndiGo has also introduced referral bonuses for its existing staff. Employees who recommend pilots that successfully join the airline before the deadline can earn between ₹50,000 and ₹75,000 per referral. The airline plans to induct around 100 pilots in January alone to strengthen its workforce.
Apart from hiring, IndiGo has increased several pilot allowances from January 1. These include higher payments for night flying, domestic layovers, deadhead duties, and a newly introduced allowance for aircraft tail swaps. Under the revised structure, captains will earn ₹2,000 per hour for night flying, while first officers will get ₹1,000 per hour.
Despite having a pilot strength of over 5,000, IndiGo says the new rules require additional manpower to ensure smooth operations without flight cancellations or delays. The DGCA has provided limited and temporary relief by allowing some flexibility in night-duty rules until February 10. However, this comes with strict conditions, including regular reporting on crew deployment and scheduling practices.
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