The Crossbill Team
IndiGo’s ongoing operational troubles have reignited a confrontation between pilots and regulators, with the Airlines Pilots’ Association of India (APAI) accusing the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) of compromising safety by easing key fatigue-control rules.
The dispute escalated after the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) placed the revised flight duty time limitation (FDTL) norms on pause until February 10, following days of widespread delays and cancellations at the country’s largest airline.
In a sharply worded letter to the DGCA, APAI said the regulator’s decision effectively allows “IndiGo pilots will now fly with reduced rest and increased fatigue, placing their passengers at elevated risk.”
The association contended that the current crisis stems from IndiGo’s own planning failures and what it described as a “prolonged and unorthodox lean manpower strategy,” citing tight staffing numbers, frozen wages and insufficient hiring in critical flight operations.
APAI also objected to what it called “selective dispensations” granted to IndiGo for phase two of the revised FDTL civil aviation requirements (CAR), recalling that during a meeting with DGCA officials on November 24, all parties had agreed that no operator would be exempted from the new limits.
“This decision, taken despite repeated representations, formal letters, and direct discussions with your esteemed office, has undermined the very spirit of the FDTL regulations and gravely compromised the safety of the flying public,” the letter said.
Reiterating that the fatigue-management rules are a safety safeguard, the association added: “The consensus was clear: FDTL norms exist solely to safeguard human life, and any dilution of these limits would expose pilots, passengers, and aircraft to unacceptable risks.”
According to the pilots’ body, IndiGo’s difficulties were foreseeable, as airlines had long been aware of the updated norms. It said the carrier failed to prepare adequately for changes that took effect last month, particularly tighter restrictions affecting night schedules and early-morning operations.
The association criticised the airline for citing “passenger inconvenience” to justify its request for relief, arguing that IndiGo expanded its winter schedule despite knowing the new rules were imminent.
“All operators had almost two years to implement the new FDTL, and that too in two phases. Even with this ample time, IndiGo failed to organise its roster and instead increased its operations for winter 2025 which was approved by your office,” the association said.
The group further noted that the revised norms already contained transitional leniencies intended to help airlines adjust.
“What is even more alarming is that phase two itself already includes many dispensations tailor-made for operators selectively, intended as a transitional relaxation to assist operators,” it said.
Its strongest concern, APAI stressed, was the nature of the additional relaxations provided to IndiGo.
“Not only has the night definition been relaxed, but the permitted number of landings encroaching night operations has been doubled, from two to four, directly contradicting the original CAR issued by the DGCA.”
The new FDTL regulations—now temporarily suspended—were designed to reduce pilot fatigue by extending weekly rest from 36 to 48 hours, limiting night landings from six to two per week, and expanding the official definition of “night” by an hour.
Airlines have argued that these measures constrain scheduling flexibility, but pilot groups and safety advocates maintain that stricter limits are essential for ensuring safer skies.
The dispute escalated after the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) placed the revised flight duty time limitation (FDTL) norms on pause until February 10, following days of widespread delays and cancellations at the country’s largest airline.
In a sharply worded letter to the DGCA, APAI said the regulator’s decision effectively allows “IndiGo pilots will now fly with reduced rest and increased fatigue, placing their passengers at elevated risk.”
The association contended that the current crisis stems from IndiGo’s own planning failures and what it described as a “prolonged and unorthodox lean manpower strategy,” citing tight staffing numbers, frozen wages and insufficient hiring in critical flight operations.
APAI also objected to what it called “selective dispensations” granted to IndiGo for phase two of the revised FDTL civil aviation requirements (CAR), recalling that during a meeting with DGCA officials on November 24, all parties had agreed that no operator would be exempted from the new limits.
“This decision, taken despite repeated representations, formal letters, and direct discussions with your esteemed office, has undermined the very spirit of the FDTL regulations and gravely compromised the safety of the flying public,” the letter said.
Reiterating that the fatigue-management rules are a safety safeguard, the association added: “The consensus was clear: FDTL norms exist solely to safeguard human life, and any dilution of these limits would expose pilots, passengers, and aircraft to unacceptable risks.”
According to the pilots’ body, IndiGo’s difficulties were foreseeable, as airlines had long been aware of the updated norms. It said the carrier failed to prepare adequately for changes that took effect last month, particularly tighter restrictions affecting night schedules and early-morning operations.
The association criticised the airline for citing “passenger inconvenience” to justify its request for relief, arguing that IndiGo expanded its winter schedule despite knowing the new rules were imminent.
“All operators had almost two years to implement the new FDTL, and that too in two phases. Even with this ample time, IndiGo failed to organise its roster and instead increased its operations for winter 2025 which was approved by your office,” the association said.
The group further noted that the revised norms already contained transitional leniencies intended to help airlines adjust.
“What is even more alarming is that phase two itself already includes many dispensations tailor-made for operators selectively, intended as a transitional relaxation to assist operators,” it said.
Its strongest concern, APAI stressed, was the nature of the additional relaxations provided to IndiGo.
“Not only has the night definition been relaxed, but the permitted number of landings encroaching night operations has been doubled, from two to four, directly contradicting the original CAR issued by the DGCA.”
The new FDTL regulations—now temporarily suspended—were designed to reduce pilot fatigue by extending weekly rest from 36 to 48 hours, limiting night landings from six to two per week, and expanding the official definition of “night” by an hour.
Airlines have argued that these measures constrain scheduling flexibility, but pilot groups and safety advocates maintain that stricter limits are essential for ensuring safer skies.
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