Amid disruption of IndiGo flights, the Delhi High Court has sought a response from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on a contempt petition filed Indian Pilots Guild (IPG). The pilots’ union has alleged that the DGCA has granted unauthorized extensions and relaxations to the airlines regarding the new Pilot Fatigue Management Rules (CAR 2024), violating a previous commitment to the court, the news agency said. FLIGHT.
Justice Amit Sharma issued a notice to the aviation regulator and directed its top officials to submit their replies. The court scheduled the next hearing for April 17, 2026.
IPG’s plea alleges that the DGCA watered down the FDTL (Flight Duty Time Limitation) rules by approving specific airline operating schemes that do not fully meet the conditions and phased implementation timelines previously accepted by the court.
The High Court had earlier noted DGCA assurances that the new FDTL rules will be implemented in two phases – most provisions by July 1, 2025 and the remainder by November 1, 2025.
The pilots’ body says that by issuing the release without court approval, the regulator undermined fatigue rules that are essential to flight and passenger safety. A case in point is the temporary, one-off exemption the DGCA granted to IndiGo on December 5 amid mass flight cancellations, which relaxed specific changes related to night operations for its Airbus A320 pilots.
In his defence, the counsel for the DGCA opposed the contempt action and argued that the court had not frozen the technical content of the CAR. They argued that while the implementation schedule remains binding, the regulator retains its own statutory powers under the Aircraft Act and Rules to grant limited, case-by-case and temporary exemptions. Further, the DGCA noted that the issue of deviations is already under review by a bench of the High Court.
DGCA probe panel to visit IndiGo headquarters
A four-member panel constituted by DGCA chief Faiz Ahmed Kidwai visited the headquarters of domestic carrier IndiGo on Monday, sources said. PTI. The panel’s task is to investigate the cause of the widespread operational disruptions and flight cancellations that plagued the airline earlier this month.
During their visit, the probe team examined several aspects of the airline’s operations and infrastructure to determine the root cause of the widespread service disruption. The aim of the investigation is to determine which factors contributed to the significant chaos.
“The panel members visited the IndiGo headquarters on Monday. They remained there throughout the day to continue the ongoing probe,” said a source privy to the information. PTI.
