HC: Not enforcing pilots’ rest norms endangers passengers

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday observed that non-implementation of the Director General of Civil Aviation’s (DGCA) Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms, including those relating to weekly rest, has a direct impact on passenger safety.

- Shruti Kakkar

A bench of chief justice DK Upadhyaya and justice Tejas Karia made this remark while seeking DGCA’s response in a petition filed by former aircraft engineer Sabari Roy against the regulator's December 5 decision and fixed January 29 as the next date of hearing.

On December 5 last year, DGCA issued a notification withdrawing the norms on weekly rest for pilots that had been introduced under its new crew rest rules, which came into force on November 1. The rules formed part of the revised FDTL framework, strengthened after prolonged litigation by pilots seeking stricter limits on working hours in the interest of passenger safety.