In a candid social media post, a former top executive from a rival airline has pinpointed what he believes led to the recent operational disruptions at IndiGo, India's largest carrier. The analysis highlights a critical regulatory change and a concerning corporate mindset.
Revised Rest Rules Spark Confusion
Gopalan, the former Chief Financial Officer of AirAsia India, took to Instagram to address public queries regarding the troubles faced by IndiGo Airlines. He identified a specific regulatory shift as a primary source of the confusion. The key issue revolves around the revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FTDL) norms.
According to his explanation, the new rules mandate that a pilot must now have 48 hours of rest, a significant increase from the previous requirement of 36 hours. This change, he suggested, was not managed effectively, leading to scheduling chaos and last-minute flight cancellations that stranded passengers.
A Culture of Complacency?
Beyond the regulatory hurdle, the former CFO levied a more serious charge against IndiGo's management style. He described the airline's approach to the looming crisis as having a "lackadaisical, nonchalant attitude." This phrase suggests a failure to anticipate the impact of the new FTDL rules and a slow, indifferent response in mitigating the fallout.
His comments imply that the problem was not just the rule change itself, but a corporate culture that underestimated its operational implications. This perceived complacency, he argues, exacerbated the situation, turning a manageable challenge into a full-blown public relations and operational crisis.
Implications for India's Aviation Sector
The incident, as dissected by an industry insider, sheds light on the fragile balance within Indian aviation. It underscores how regulatory updates must be met with proactive planning by airlines. The fallout from IndiGo's struggles included widespread passenger inconvenience, financial losses, and reputational damage.
This episode serves as a cautionary tale for all carriers. It emphasizes the need for robust contingency planning and agile management, especially when dealing with changes in critical safety and operational guidelines like the FTDL. The industry will be watching closely to see how IndiGo and other airlines adapt their strategies to prevent a repeat of such disruptions.
The insights were shared by the former CFO on December 07, 2025, providing a timely post-mortem of the events that captured national attention.
