December 3, 2025 marked the third day of Parliament's Winter Session and the first productive full Question Hour of the session. After two days of disruption over the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) issue, proceedings resumed in an orderly manner following the scheduling of the SIR debate for December 9-10.
The Question Hour on December 3 in Lok Sabha prominently featured a sustained debate on IndiGo Airlines' mass flight cancellations and the role of Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms introduced by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). IndiGo had cancelled over 5,000 flights over the preceding eight days, stranding thousands of passengers across Indian airports, citing acute crew shortages triggered by the new FDTL rules.
Members of Parliament across parties questioned the Civil Aviation Ministry about the DGCA's handling of the FDTL transition. FDTL rules, which set strict maximum flying hours and mandatory rest periods for pilots and cabin crew, were revised in 2024 to align with international safety standards recommended by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). However, airlines — particularly IndiGo, which operates the largest domestic fleet in India — argued that the sudden enforcement without adequate transition time had caused an operational crisis.
The debate raised several critical questions: Was DGCA's rollout of FDTL changes adequately phased? Were airlines given sufficient notice? What is the compensation mechanism for affected passengers? The Civil Aviation Minister stated that passenger safety is non-negotiable and that FDTL compliance is mandatory, while also acknowledging that passenger grievances must be addressed urgently.
The Ministry indicated that DGCA was in active dialogue with airlines to manage crew scheduling, and that airlines had been given clear regulatory timelines. Parliamentary committees were requested to examine the regulatory oversight framework for aviation safety in India.