Air India 787 Crash, IndiGo Chaos Expose India's Aviation Safety Ceiling

The Indian civil aviation safety record faced a systemic reckoning in 2025.

Rapid expansion turned into severe strain for the industry. A fatal crash, mass flight cancellations, and new pilot fatigue rules combined. This exposed an industry that had grown faster than its safety buffers. The year forced regulators and airlines to confront the cost of postponed decisions.

The Ahmedabad Tragedy and Regulatory Gaps

The year’s most devastating event was the Air India Flight 171 crash on June 12. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, bound for London Gatwick, crashed seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad. The accident resulted in 241 fatalities onboard and 19 on the ground, totaling 260 deaths.

Preliminary findings by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) were released in July 2025. The report indicated both engine fuel control switches moved from ‘run’ to ‘cut-off’ shortly after liftoff. This action led to a dual engine shutdown and loss of thrust. The switches typically require manual lifting and pulling to operate. The early focus on cockpit actions sent tremors across the global aviation community.

The tragedy reopened questions about human factors and cockpit workload. It highlighted a significant aviation regulatory gap in mental health oversight. As airlines expand fleets, safety oversight must keep pace with infrastructure growth.

IndiGo’s Operational Unraveling

If June brought tragedy, December delivered unprecedented operational chaos. India’s largest airline, IndiGo, saw its network unravel during the winter schedule. IndiGo mass flight cancellations mounted rapidly from early December.

By December 9, approximately 4,200 flights were cancelled according to industry data. The peak disruption saw about 1,600 cancellations in a single day. On-time performance at major airports collapsed into single digits.

The FDTL Enforcement Crisis

This disruption coincided with the full enforcement of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s (DGCA) revised Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR). These rules govern pilot fatigue management through Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL).

The DGCA FDTL rules were phased in throughout 2025. Fifteen clauses were implemented in July, with the remaining seven becoming fully effective in November. Key changes included a mandatory 48-hour weekly rest and stricter night duty definitions.

Airlines, especially IndiGo, had built schedules on dense rotations. These schedules became non-compliant overnight when the stricter norms kicked in. Pilot unions accused the airline of operating with lean manpower. The airline acknowledged that compliance materially constrained operations.

Under pressure, the DGCA ordered IndiGo to cut 10% of its planned capacity. It also granted temporary relaxations for certain provisions until February 2026. Safety experts warned that such exemptions risked weakening the very protections the rules were meant to enforce.

Systemic Stress and Future Challenges

Beyond the major incidents, 2025 exposed stress across the aviation ecosystem. The DGCA struggled with staffing constraints as its oversight responsibilities multiplied. Parliament was informed of GPS interference incidents near Indian airspace, highlighting emerging operational vulnerabilities.

• The DGCA faces nearly 50% vacancies in sanctioned posts, straining safety oversight.
• The Navi Mumbai International Airport commenced commercial operations, symbolizing growth.
• Despite record passenger numbers, the year revealed a widening gap between physical infrastructure and institutional readiness.

Legal reforms, like the Bharatiya Vayuyan Adhiniyam, modernized the framework. However, 2025 demonstrated that laws alone cannot compensate for delayed enforcement. The industry must address thin safety margins and a culture conditioned to absorb risk quietly. For more commercial aviation news and analysis, visit flying.flights.