Govt grounds new pilot rest rules for 2 mths as IndiGo crisis deepens

The Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) on Friday suspended implementation of new flight duty time limitation (FDTL) rules, designed to ensure more humane pilot work hours, to stabilise operations at India's largest airline, IndiGo, where disruptions have spiralled nationwide. The relief has been provided until February 10.

- DEEPAK PATEL

Moreover, in an unprecedented move, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) told IndiGo it may use the regulator's 12 flight operations inspectors (FOIs) for a 7-10 day period “to support crew scheduling and operational requirements.” These FOIs are IndiGo pilots currently posted with the regulator as inspectors, and are normally barred from operating commercial flights to avoid conflicts of interest.

These moves followed a spike in cancellations by the airline. IndiGo scrapped well over 1,000 flights, out of about 2,300 daily operations, on Friday, including all 243 domestic departures from Delhi, an estimated 80-85 per cent of its 196 daily flights from Mumbai, and around 98 flights from Chennai.

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu said in a statement that the decision to put new FDTL rules in abeyance was made “without compromising safety” and solely in the interest of “passengers, especially senior citizens, students, patients, and others who rely on timely air travel for essential needs.”