The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has instructed all scheduled airlines to provide a timeline for the implementation of revised flight duty time rules for crew members. This directive comes shortly after the DGCA deferred the implementation of rules aimed at increasing rest duration for pilots.
The decision to seek timelines from airlines follows a request from the Delhi High Court on April 1. The court asked the DGCA to indicate a tentative date for implementing the revised norms during its next hearing.
The DGCA stated, “In light of the observations made by the Hon’ble Court during the aforesaid hearing, you may kindly indicate the timeline required to prepare a roadmap for implementation of the revised FDTL (Flight Duty Time Limitation) norms and the timeline for subsequent implementation of the same.”
Initially, the regulator announced on January 8 that the revised FDTL rules would come into effect on June 1. However, this decision was deferred on March 26, causing disappointment among crew members and industry experts. Officials familiar with the matter indicated that the deferment was a result of resistance from the airlines. The DGCA had previously stated that the revised rules were aligned with international safety standards.
Under the new rules, pilots were to be provided a 48-hour break at the end of each week, an increase from the current 36 hours. Additionally, the maximum flight duty hours for pilots working night operations would be capped at 10 hours, down from the existing 13 hours. The definition of night duty was also expanded, now starting at 6 am instead of midnight.
While pilots welcomed the proposed changes, airlines expressed concerns, citing the need for 20% more pilots to comply with the revised rules.
The DGCA mentioned that Justice Sudhir Kumar Jain of the Delhi High Court heard connected cases challenging the Civil Aviation Rule on FDTL on April 1.
“After hearing the arguments of the parties to the case, hon’ble Justice SK Jain orally mentioned that on the next date of hearing, i.e., 08.05.2024, DGCA should indicate the tentative date for implementation of the 2024 FDTL CAR,” the letter from DGCA stated.
Pilots have hailed the court’s direction as a “victory for all the pilots and a much-needed change in the industry.” They emphasized the importance of implementing the new FDTL rules promptly for the mental well-being of the crew. With the next hearing approaching in May, the aviation industry eagerly awaits further developments regarding the implementation of these revised regulations.
