Pilots’ association Airline Pilots Association (ALPA) India on Friday raised a “strong” objection to safety regulator DGCA’s “selective and dangerous” relief to domestic carrier IndiGo amid widespread cancellations, saying the decision set a dangerous precedent.
Earlier in the day, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) granted IndiGo a temporary exemption from stricter night duty rules for pilots.
In a letter to the DGCA on Friday, ALPA-India said the decision not only sets a “dangerous precedent” but also undermines the very principle and purpose of the civil aviation requirement under which the norms were formulated.
Read also | IndiGo fiasco: CEO apology, fare hike, FDTL rules – 10 points
On the pretext of inconvenience to passengers, IndiGo is also seeking relief even though it has consciously increased its winter operations, fully aware of the implementation of the second phase of flight service norms and pilot rest periods.
ALPA India on Wednesday argued that the situation (IndiGo canceling a large number of flights) shows a “failure of proactive resource planning by the dominant airlines, which may be exacerbated by efforts to pressure the regulator to dilute the new FDTL norms for commercial gain”.
And on Thursday, the DGCA said in a statement that it had ordered the airline to submit the relaxation of flight duty time restrictions (FDTL) required to normalize air traffic after the airline informed the regulator that it was “facing significant transitional challenges in schedule planning and crew availability under the FDTL phase 2 requirement”.
Read also | IndiGo flights LIVE: Coach count increased on premium trains amid airline crisis
IndiGo was the first carrier to oppose the new FDTL norms for pilots when they were introduced in January 2024, with an implementation deadline of March 2024.
The latest FDTL norms, which see weekly rest periods increased to 48 hours, night hours extended and night landings reduced to just two from the previous six, were also initially opposed by domestic airlines, including Tata Group-owned IndiGo and Air India.
However, they were subsequently implemented by the DGCA on the Delhi High Court’s directives, albeit with a delay of over a year, gradually and with some derogations for airlines like IndiGo and Air India.
Read also | IndiGo flight operations continue to resume: Delhi airport after airline suspension
While the first phase of these FDTL norms came into effect in July, the second phase, which reduced the number of night landings from six to two earlier, was implemented from November 1.
“By granting selective exemptions to IndiGo, the DGCA has opened the door for all other operators to cite their own operational, business or planning reasons for seeking similar exemptions,” ALPA India said in a statement on Friday.
“It was also said that if exemptions can be granted based on the requirements of each operator, then the relevance, authority and intent of the FDTL CAR is completely defeated.”
Stating that the decision was taken despite repeated statements, formal letters and direct discussions with the DGCA office, ALPA India said, “During our meeting on November 24, it was clearly agreed that no exemption, exemption or change will be granted to any operator, especially those motivated by commercial interests.”
“The consensus was clear: FDTL standards exist only to protect human life and any dilution of these limits would expose pilots, passengers and aircraft to unacceptable risks. Yet, in stark contrast to this understanding, your office has extended a selective exemption to IndiGo for the implementation of Phase II, allowing them to operate beyond the CAR-prescribed safety envelope,” it said.
Interestingly, at the time of the implementation of these regulations, then Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia said that “these changes – which are very much in line with international best practices –” will provide India with the necessary arsenal as it prepares to claim the biggest title in the domestic aviation market in the future.
“Even more alarmingly, Phase II itself already contains many disbursements tailored to operators selectively, intended as a temporary relaxation to help operators. Despite this built-in relief, your office has granted further selective disbursements exclusively to IndiGo, creating a situation where an operator already benefiting from relaxed measures will be given additional layers of relaxation without any safety justification,” the pilot said.
