The Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s (DGCA) decision to give IndiGo leniency on the application of Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) guidelines despite significant flight disruption and cancellation was sharply criticized by the Airlines Pilots’ Association of India on Friday.
The pilots’ organization expressed disappointment in a letter to the aviation authority over IndiGo Airlines’ selective dispensations regarding the implementation of the updated FDTL CAR (Phase II).
In the midst of severe operational difficulties at IndiGo, the DGCA relaxed flying duty regulations by permitting pilots to replace their leaves with a weekly rest time.
The body said, “This decision has seriously jeopardized the safety of the flying public and undermined the entire spirit of the FDTL laws, adopted despite repeated protests, official letters, and direct consultations with your respected office.”
It said that no operator will get a dispensation, exemption, or change during its November 24 meeting with the DGCA.
“The conclusion was clear: FDTL regulations exist only to defend human life, and any weakening of these restrictions would expose pilots, passengers, and aircraft to intolerable dangers,” the statement said.
The “selective dispensation” granted to IndiGo for Phase II implementation was cited by the APAI as a “total contradiction” to the agreement.
It also attacked the airline for requesting relief under the guise of “passenger discomfort,” claiming that they were aware of it beforehand and continued to expand their winter operations.
“The new FDTL was implemented in two parts over a period of almost two years for all operators. Despite having plenty of time, IndiGo neglected to organize its roster and instead expanded its activities for the winter of 2025, which your office allowed,” the statement said.
It went on, “What is even more frightening is that Phase II itself already has various dispensations tailor-made for operators selectively, designed as a transitory relaxation to aid operators.”
The pilots’ organization said that the low-cost carrier’s dispensations were the main source of their objections. “In direct contrast to the initial CAR issued by the DGCA, not only has the night definition been modified, but the allowable number of landings for night operations has been doubled, from two to four,” the report said.
DGCA’s appeal
The letter follows the DGCA’s request for assistance from the pilots’ body in the face of several flight-related operational problems.
“The industry must be ready for even bigger operational issues as the fog season, the busiest Christmas season, and the marriage travel season get near. The DGCA called for “full collaboration” from all pilot bodies to alleviate the situation, stating that “passenger numbers are likely to climb rapidly and weather-related consequences may further affect scheduling and flight safety.”
In order to prevent further inconvenience to passengers during a crucial travel season, it called on pilots to maintain steady and seamless flight operations during the busy and weather-sensitive period, minimize avoidable delays and cancellations, and improve coordination between pilots and airlines in order to handle the situation in a proactive and safe manner.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has decided to remove the clause “no leave will be substituted for weekly rest” from the FDTL regulations, sources told PTI earlier, citing IndiGo flight delays.
One of the main causes of the present problems at IndiGo is the personnel shortage that occurred from the gaps in planning prior to the implementation of the updated FDTL, the second phase of which went into effect on November 1.
