<p>New Delhi: Three months after large-scale flight cancellations by IndiGo disrupted air travel across the country, the head of India’s aviation safety regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has been replaced.</p><p>The Centre on Wednesday appointed Vir Vikram Yadav, a 1996-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Odisha cadre, as the new Director General of the DGCA.</p>.DGCA issues new guidelines for aircraft operators flying VVIPs after Ajit Pawar's plane crash.<p>He replaced Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, a 1996-batch IAS officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre.</p><p>As part of a major bureaucratic reshuffle, Yadav, who was serving as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, has been appointed DGCA chief. Kidwai has been posted as Additional Secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).</p><p>Kidwai was appointed DGCA chief in January, 2025. During his tenure, the DGCA faced multiple challenges, including the massive operational disruptions at IndiGo in December last year, lapses at various airlines, accidents involving non-scheduled operators, and the fatal crash of an Air India plane in June 2025.</p><p>The Ministry of Civil Aviation came under severe criticism after IndiGo, the country’s largest airline, cancelled over 1,200 flights in December, stranding thousands of passengers. The crisis was allegedly triggered by poor planning ahead of the implementation of new, stricter pilot duty-time regulations, which led to a severe crew shortage.</p><p>The DGCA had taken action against erring airlines and their officials, including imposing penalties on IndiGo for disruptions.</p><p>As a new chief of the DGCA, Yadav will face challenging times including to ensure high safety standards, help airlines navigate the impact of the West Asia conflict, and implement various passenger-friendly initiatives.</p><p>India, one of the world’s fastest-growing civil aviation markets, continues to witness strong air traffic demand. However, airlines keen on expanding operations are grappling with aircraft shortages and the ongoing turmoil in West Asia affecting international flights.</p>
<p>New Delhi: Three months after large-scale flight cancellations by IndiGo disrupted air travel across the country, the head of India’s aviation safety regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has been replaced.</p><p>The Centre on Wednesday appointed Vir Vikram Yadav, a 1996-batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer of the Odisha cadre, as the new Director General of the DGCA.</p>.DGCA issues new guidelines for aircraft operators flying VVIPs after Ajit Pawar's plane crash.<p>He replaced Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, a 1996-batch IAS officer of the Madhya Pradesh cadre.</p><p>As part of a major bureaucratic reshuffle, Yadav, who was serving as Additional Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, has been appointed DGCA chief. Kidwai has been posted as Additional Secretary in the Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT).</p><p>Kidwai was appointed DGCA chief in January, 2025. During his tenure, the DGCA faced multiple challenges, including the massive operational disruptions at IndiGo in December last year, lapses at various airlines, accidents involving non-scheduled operators, and the fatal crash of an Air India plane in June 2025.</p><p>The Ministry of Civil Aviation came under severe criticism after IndiGo, the country’s largest airline, cancelled over 1,200 flights in December, stranding thousands of passengers. The crisis was allegedly triggered by poor planning ahead of the implementation of new, stricter pilot duty-time regulations, which led to a severe crew shortage.</p><p>The DGCA had taken action against erring airlines and their officials, including imposing penalties on IndiGo for disruptions.</p><p>As a new chief of the DGCA, Yadav will face challenging times including to ensure high safety standards, help airlines navigate the impact of the West Asia conflict, and implement various passenger-friendly initiatives.</p><p>India, one of the world’s fastest-growing civil aviation markets, continues to witness strong air traffic demand. However, airlines keen on expanding operations are grappling with aircraft shortages and the ongoing turmoil in West Asia affecting international flights.</p>
