NEW DELHI- The Delhi High Court has mandated the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to expedite the implementation of new pilot duty and rest time regulations, targeting early 2025 to enhance flight safety and minimize potential aviation incidents.
Justice Tara Vitasta Ganju directed the DGCA to convene a comprehensive meeting on December 18, 2024, involving pilot associations, airlines, and the Ministry of Civil Aviation. This meeting aims to establish a concrete timeline for implementing the proposed Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms.
Flight Duty Rule for Pilots
The directive stems from a writ petition filed by multiple pilot representative bodies, including:
- Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP)
- Air India Pilots’ Union
- Indian Pilots’ Guild
- Indian Commercial Pilots’ Guild
Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati revealed the DGCA’s intention to notify the new FDTL norms by July 2025, proposing a phased implementation strategy.
Justice Ganju critically questioned the delayed timeline, highlighting that the norms were technically ready for implementation since January 2024.
Previous attempts to address the issue include a pilot association and airline meeting on November 13, 2024. However, a subsequent DGCA-scheduled meeting saw no representation from Air India (AI).
The court has scheduled the next hearing for January 23, 2025.
Multiple pilot associations, including the Federation of Indian Pilots, the Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association, and the Indian Pilots Guild, initiated legal action against existing pilot duty and rest hour regulations through a writ petition filed in the Delhi High Court in 2019.
Amendment in 2024
In January 2024, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) introduced revised norms with significant modifications:
- Extended weekly rest period from 36 to 48 hours
- Reduced night-time flying hours
- Provided airlines with a June 1 implementation deadline
However, the DGCA dramatically reversed its position on March 26, 2024, by:
- Suspending the new rules
- Removing the June 1 implementation deadline
- Requesting airlines to propose alternative implementation timelines
Airlines strongly opposed the new regulations, warning that implementation would necessitate canceling approximately 20% of flights during the peak summer travel season.
The DGCA subsequently instructed airlines to continue adhering to the 2019 Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms until individual airline schemes complied with the new Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR).
Also Read: Who Pilots $1 Billion Air India One Fleet and Other VVIPs Planes?
Oppositions by Union
The Federation of Indian Airlines strongly opposed new pilot duty norms, arguing that the six-month implementation timeline would require airlines to hire 10-20% more pilots or face significant flight cancellations.
The Ministry of Civil Aviation intervened, prioritizing passenger convenience during the peak summer travel season. This strategic decision led to the DGCA withholding the newly proposed Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) regulations.
In March 2024, the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) took decisive action:
- Wrote a formal letter to Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia
- Emphasized passenger safety concerns
- Argued that pilot health cannot be compromised for commercial interests
Subsequent developments included:
- FIP’s March 28 letter urging ministerial intervention
- Collective action by pilot associations moving the Delhi High Court
- DGCA requesting airlines to propose implementation timelines in April 2024
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