India DGCA Director General change as Vir Vikram Yadav succeeds Faiz Ahmed Kidwai

India’s aviation regulator, DGCA, is preparing for a leadership change after months of pressure on safety and operations. Vir Vikram Yadav is set to replace Faiz Ahmed Kidwai as Director General. The shift comes as airlines face higher demand, aircraft shortages, and flight disruptions linked to the West Asia conflict.

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An official order issued on Tuesday said Kidwai moved to the Department of Personnel & Training. Kidwai was appointed as an Additional Secretary under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions. Yadav is a senior IAS officer of 1996 Odisha cadre. Yadav is currently an Additional Secretary at the Ministry of Environment, Forest & Climate Change.

DGCA leadership change amid airline safety action

DGCA stayed in the spotlight as it dealt with several incidents during Kidwai’s term of a little over a year. The regulator faced major disruptions at IndiGo in December 2025. DGCA also handled repeated lapses across airlines. It reviewed crashes involving aircraft of non-scheduled operators, and a fatal Air India crash in June 2025.

The watchdog took action against airlines and officials after rule breaches. It imposed penalties and other measures on IndiGo for the December 2025 disruptions. DGCA also tightened safety requirements for flights carrying VIPs and VVIPs. These steps were part of efforts to keep safety standards high during a difficult period.

DGCA passenger-friendly rules and airline concerns

Alongside enforcement, DGCA introduced passenger-friendly steps that drew resistance from airlines. From April 20, carriers are set to offer at least 60 per cent of seats without any extra charge. Airlines also have to maintain a transparent seat allocation policy. Airlines opposed the revised policy, citing possible revenue losses.

Revised DGCA norms, effective from March 26, allowed some passengers to cancel or change tickets without paying an extra charge. The window applied within hours of booking, under conditions. It did not apply to domestic bookings with departures in under seven days. For international tickets, departure had to be at least 15 days away.

DGCA also said airlines should not charge for correcting a name. The correction applied when the name stayed the same person. Passengers had to report the error within 24 hours of booking. The ticket also had to be booked directly on the airline website. Airlines also raised concerns about the new refund norms.

DGCA monitors West Asia conflict and air traffic pressures

DGCA kept a close watch on operations linked to the West Asia war. Airlines faced disruptions due to airspace curbs in the region. Carriers also dealt with other operational challenges and higher fuel prices. These issues added pressure as India remained one of the world’s fastest growing civil aviation markets.

Airlines also struggled to add capacity despite strong demand. Aircraft shortages continued as carriers tried to expand networks. On March 29, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu said India faced a bottleneck in buying new planes. The minister cited 1,700 aircraft on order, but said supply chain issues could delay deliveries up to 15 years.

Capacity planning also shifted in the latest summer schedule. Airlines planned to operate fewer flights than in last year’s schedule amid uncertainties. A highly-placed source said last week the approvals were more moderate. The source linked the approach to the backdrop of IndiGo’s massive disruptions last December.

With Yadav set to take charge, DGCA continued balancing safety oversight with passenger-focused rules. The regulator also stayed alert to operational risks from the West Asia conflict. Airlines still faced aircraft supply limits and changing schedules. The leadership change came as the sector managed both rising demand and tighter scrutiny.

With inputs from PTI