Paper: GS – II, Subject: Governance, Topic: Government Policies, Issue: Flight Duty Time Limitations.
Context:
In the aftermath of the IndiGo flight cancellations, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and DGCA suspended the new Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules, prioritising flight restoration over pilot fatigue norms. The author argues this marks a serious compromise of aviation safety.
Key Highlights:
Dilution of a Good Safety Measure:
- 2007 Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) on fatigue: DGCA introduced strong fatigue-management rules, but airlines pressured the Minister to suspend them, showing a pattern of prioritising commercial interests over safety.
- High Court’s initial stand: Bombay High Court criticised authorities for risking pilot and passenger safety, stating that reducing flights not increasing pilot duty hours is the correct response to pilot shortages.
- Reversal: The same court later reversed its order, effectively endorsing the Ministry’s dilution of safety norms, enabling the current situation where DGCA again suspended FDTL regulations.
Recent Crisis & Its Implications:
- Foreknowledge ignored: IndiGo and DGCA both knew the new FDTL rules would apply from 1 November 2025, yet failed to prepare, resulting in nationwide chaos and stranded passengers.
- CAR requirements breached: 2022 CAR mandates a minimum of three sets of crew per aircraft, but airlines underemployed required crew strength, contributing to systemic fatigue and disruptions.
- DGCA’s compromise: DGCA appealed for pilot cooperation and suspended FDTL rules, signalling readiness to sacrifice safety standards to address operational problems.
- Commercial priorities override safety: Suspension of FDTL norms to stabilise operations reflects a clear inclination to protect IndiGo’s commercial interests over ensuring crew rest and passenger safety.
- No accountability: Airlines (especially IndiGo) exploited relaxed norms by not hiring adequate Crew.
Consequences for Aviation Safety:
- Multiple major accidents (Mangalore 2010, Kozhikode 2020 and Ahmedabad) revealed regulatory gaps.
- DGCA and Ministry continue to operate reactively.
- Safety culture described as “at its lowest.”
- Risk of future catastrophes grows if fatigue norms remain suspended.
The suspension of FDTL norms, DGCA’s compromised independence, and an inconsistent judiciary together create a system where commercial priorities override safety, making future aviation risks inevitable without urgent structural reforms.
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