Overview
- Four of the five national airlines, carrying about 95% of domestic passengers, have asked the government to relax the revised Flight Duty Time Limitations, with the matter under review and discussed at a December 17 parliamentary panel meeting.
- The stricter norms raise weekly continuous rest to 48 hours with two nights at home base, expand the night duty window to midnight–6 am, limit pilots to two consecutive night duties, cap night landings at two per week, and cut monthly flight time to 100 hours in 28 days.
- Following IndiGo’s December 3–5 disruption, a government inquiry cited planning deficiencies, the regulator fined the carrier ₹20.2 crore for operating under exemption plus ₹1.8 crore for systemic lapses, and a temporary FDTL exemption runs through February 10.
- IndiGo has told the DGCA it now has adequate pilot strength and pledged that flights will not be canceled after the exemption expires on February 10.
- Pilot representatives warn that relaxing rest limits would compromise safety, while airline executives cite higher costs and operational strain alongside fare caps and Pakistan airspace closure.