IndiGo plans to recruit 50 foreign pilots to meet India's FDTL compliance deadline

December 10, 2025 at 04:02 PM•2 min read

IndiGo plans to hire 50 expat pilots from global pools to comply with the Indian DGCA's revised FDTL by February 2026.

Key Points

1IndiGo plans to hire 50 expat pilots to meet the Indian DGCA's FDTL compliance deadline of February 10, 2026, requiring 160 additional pilots.
2The airline seeks foreign commanders from South Africa, Indonesia, and the Philippines to avoid domestic pilot bidding wars and recruitment delays.
3IndiGo has cancelled over 3,500 flights since December 1 due to insufficient preparation for stricter flight duty time limitations.
4The Indian government is reviewing IndiGo's request for expedited Foreign Aircrew Temporary Authorisation (FATA) for these foreign pilots.

IndiGo, India's largest airline, is initiating a global recruitment drive to hire approximately 50 expatriate pilots from countries including South Africa, Indonesia, and the Philippines. This strategic move aims to address a critical pilot shortage and ensure compliance with the Indian Directorate General of Civil Aviation's (DGCA) revised flight duty time limitations (FDTL) by the February 10, 2026 deadline. The carrier requires around 160 additional pilots by this cut-off date, with a substantial portion expected to be filled by foreign commanders.

The decision to recruit internationally stems from IndiGo's desire to avoid competitive bidding wars with other Indian carriers for a limited pool of domestic pilots. The airline also seeks to mitigate potential delays associated with long notice periods or legal disputes arising from poaching. IndiGo has formally approached both the Indian DGCA and the Ministry of Civil Aviation, requesting expedited clearances for Foreign Aircrew Temporary Authorisation (FATA) for these incoming foreign pilots. The Indian government is currently reviewing this proposal in light of the airline's ongoing operational pressures.

IndiGo has faced significant operational disruptions since December 1, including the cancellation of over 3,500 flights, largely due to inadequate preparation for the transition to stricter FDTL regulations. To stabilize operations, the Indian government granted a one-time FDTL relaxation until February 10, 2026. The airline's detailed manpower plan submitted to the DGCA outlines a target of adding 158 pilots by the February deadline and a further 742 pilots by December 2026, projecting a need for about 300 captains and 600 junior first officers over the next year. Currently, IndiGo operates with 2,357 captains and 2,194 first officers, falling short of the 2,422 captains and 2,290 first officers required under the new FDTL norms for its Airbus fleet. The airline also relies on wet-leased wide-body aircraft, such as Boeing 777-300ERs from Turkish Airlines and Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners from Norse Atlantic Airways, further impacting its crew requirements.