ALPA India Urges DGCA on FDTL Relaxations After Pilot Deaths

New Delhi, May 1 (PTI) Pilots' grouping ALPA India on Friday urged regulator DGCA to disallow relaxations in fatigue management norms for airlines against the backdrop of two pilots passing away due to heart attack in the last two days.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) should have a time-bound roadmap for the full implementation of the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) regulations, as well as put in place a transparent and accountable fatigue reporting system for pilots, along with quarterly public disclosures.

These are among the demands made by ALPA India, which said there are concerns about flight safety, regulatory credibility and the well-being of flight crew, especially in the wake of the deaths of the pilots.

A pilot of Air India and another pilot of Akasa Air suffered heart attacks in the last two days. Both were not on duty. While the Air India pilot died in Bali during scheduled rest, Akasa Air pilot passed away while he was in training.

The revised FDTL norms that provide for increased rest hours for pilots have not been fully implemented, as airlines have been given more time after they cited operational challenges in the implementation.

The Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA India) said DGCA should initiate a "structured and time-bound programme for the gradual withdrawal of all such variations, culminating in the full and uniform implementation of FDTL provisions across operators".

Citing available information obtained through RTI (Right to Information), the grouping said there are indications of an alarmingly low rate of acceptance of fatigue reports by operators.


"Such trends are inconsistent with the principles of a just safety culture and undermine fatigue risk management systems," it added.

ALPA India President Captain Sam Thomas has written a letter to DGCA chief Vir Vikram Yadav, with a copy to Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha.

Noting that any reconsideration or dilution of the approved FDTL framework at this stage would be difficult to justify, ALPA India said that any such overtures from the airlines must be categorically rebuffed.

"The aviation sector has, in the past, witnessed instances where operational disruptions due to crew shortages have had a disproportionate national impact.

"This underscores the importance of ensuring that commercial considerations do not override safety imperatives. The availability of a large pool of aspiring pilots cannot be construed as a basis to legitimise exploitative practices or to dilute fatigue safeguards," the grouping said.

IndiGo had faced massive operational disruptions, resulting in flight cancellations, mainly due to issues in implementing the FDTL norms.

"The continued occurrence of untimely pilot fatalities and adverse health outcomes, particularly following the introduction and operational misuse of consecutive night duties, warrants urgent attention.

"Recent aviation incidents further reinforce the need to ensure that flight crew are not merely compliant with limits but are genuinely well-rested and operationally fit," the letter said.