IndiGo Targets Up to 2,175 Daily Flights but Dials Down Earlier Ambition

India's largest airline, IndiGo, has sought approval from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to operate up to 275 additional flights per day during the upcoming summer schedule from April to October.

According to a presentation made to the aviation regulator, the airline is looking to increase its daily departures by about 15% from its current average of around 1,900 flights. If cleared, IndiGo would operate roughly 2,175 flights per day. That would be about 8% higher than the 2,022 flights it operated during last summer, Mint reported.

However, the revised plan reflects a more cautious approach compared to the airline's earlier ambitions. Previously, IndiGo had projected scaling up to between 2,370 and 2,550 daily departures, backed by expected fleet additions and higher aircraft utilisation.

The new submission to the regulator indicates a range of 2,175 to 2,310 flights per day, but the airline has told the DGCA that final numbers are likely to be closer to the lower end of that range, the report added.

The moderation comes against the backdrop of operational challenges the airline faced around two months ago.

In December 2025, IndiGo cancelled around 4,500 flights in just the first week of the month after new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms came into effect on November 1.

The stricter rules, which mandate longer rest periods for pilots, led to a shortage of available crew and triggered widespread disruptions.

Following the cancellations, the DGCA directed IndiGo to reduce its winter schedule by 10% and later imposed a record penalty of ₹22.2 crore. The regulator had also granted the airline a one-time exemption from certain new FDTL provisions for its Airbus A320 pilots to help stabilise operations. That temporary relaxation ended on February 10.

In recent weeks, IndiGo has said it has adequate staffing and is fully complying with the revised FDTL norms, according to an earlier report by PTI.

In a compliance and corrective action plan submitted to the DGCA, the airline also referred to the possibility of reducing up to 250 flights per day from April 2026 to ensure full adherence to the safety rules.

According to Mint, the scaled-back expansion also reflects operational constraints such as pilot hiring requirements, attrition levels and compliance with safety norms.

As a result of the moderated capacity growth, IndiGo expects a mid-single-digit increase in unit costs (excluding fuel and foreign exchange impact) in FY26.

The airline's management expects available seat kilometres (ASK), a measure of passenger capacity, to grow by around 10% in the fourth quarter, largely driven by international routes.