Domestic airlines seek phased rollout of revised pilot duty regulations

The Delhi High Court is mediating a dispute between airlines, pilots, and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) over new pilot duty regulations that were scheduled to take effect in June but have been delayed due to airline objections.

In January 2024, the DGCA introduced new pilot duty norms, which include extending the weekly rest period from 36 to 48 hours and limiting the number of night flights a pilot can operate. The changes were initially set to be enforced starting June 1 but were postponed following concerns raised by airlines about their impact on operations.

IndiGo, in its submission to the DGCA earlier this month, proposed a gradual implementation, increasing the weekly rest period from 36 to 40 hours by June 2025. The airline also raised objections to the revision of night operations rules, particularly the reduction in the number of landings a pilot can make during the night shift, as well as the proposed shift in the definition of "night" from midnight to 6 a.m. IndiGo argued that these changes would severely disrupt its operations and requested that the current definition of night remain unchanged.

Similarly, Air India has expressed concerns, warning that a sudden implementation of the new rules could result in flight cancellations due to a shortage of available crew. Air India's pilot unions, however, have opposed this view, insisting that the rules be implemented as planned.

The issue is now under review by the Delhi High Court, which has asked the DGCA, airlines, and pilots to reach an agreement on a feasible timeline for the new regulations. The court has also questioned why the rules, which were ready in January 2024, could not be enforced before June 2025.