Indigo's Pilot Growth Slowest Post-Pandemic, Causing Flight Woes

• Indigo expanded its cockpit crew at the slowest pace among major Indian carriers post-pandemic, despite rapid capacity build-up.
• Between FY22 and FY24, Indigo's pilot strength grew 32.9%, while Tata group airlines nearly doubled their pilot count.
• Indigo's pilot growth (32.9%) was almost identical to its fleet expansion (33.1%), unlike rivals who significantly increased pilot numbers beyond fleet growth.
• New Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms caused over 1,000 Indigo flight cancellations due to crew shortages, leading to government intervention.
• Indigo plans to induct 900 more pilots by December next year, with 158 by February 10, to ease operational stress.

Why It Matters: Indigo's slow pilot growth leads to flight disruptions, affecting many passengers.