Smooth flight for Air India

Airline passes the test with minimal disruptions

- YARUQHULLAH KHAN AND AKBAR MERCHANT

AIR INDIA'S STEADY performance in the first week of December stood in sharp contrast to IndiGo’s mass cancellations, underscoring two very different approaches of transition planning to tougher flight duty time limitation (FDTL) norms.

As IndiGo cancelled around 1,900 flights between December and 5, the Tata-owned airline group passed the test with minimal disruption, showing how early compliance, moderated ambition and a realistic reading of the new rules allowed it to succeed where IndiGo failed.

The divergence began months earlier. While IndiGo increased winter departures by nearly 10% to over 15,000 weekly flights, Air India chose restraint, trimming its winter schedule by 2%. That single decision created the cushion the group needed when FDTL rules took effect from December 1. Air India’s weekly departures fell slightly year-on-year to 7,448, while IndiGo pushed to its highest-ever schedule, only to find itself operating far beyond what its pilot strength could support under the new regime.