IndiGo eyes 275 daily additional flights this summer, but growth still capped by crew and compliance constraints

Subscribe to enjoy similar stories. NEW DELHI : India’s largest airline, IndiGo, has sought approval to operate at least 275 additional daily flights, about a 15% increase over its current 1,900-odd departures, during the summer schedule from April to October, according to a presentation made to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). If approved, the airline would operate around 2,175 daily flights—about 8% higher than the 2,022 flights it flew last summer.

This assumes significance as the revised target is roughly 15% lower than its earlier ambition of scaling up to 2,550 daily departures, reflecting a more cautious approach amid pilot hiring requirements and stricter flight duty time limitation (FDTL) norms. In its submission to the DGCA, IndiGo indicated a range of 2,175 to 2,310 daily departures for the summer season. The airline has told the regulator it is “revisiting the schedule" and that “final numbers (are) likely to be closer to the lower end of the range," a senior government official said.

Documents reviewed by Mint confirm the same. The moderated outlook marks a step back from its earlier aggressive projections of 2,370 to 2,550 daily flights, which were based on expected fleet additions and higher aircraft utilization. Updated presentations to the regulator reflect operational constraints, particularly around pilot availability, attrition, and compliance with revised FDTL safety norms.

The capacity moderation is also expected to reflect in its financial metrics. Due to the slower expansion, IndiGo is expecting a mid-single-digit growth in unit cost (excluding fuel and forex) for FY26. Management expects available seat per kilometre (ASK)—a measure of passenger capacity—to grow 10% in the fourth