India's aviation sector faces ongoing disruption as the Airlines Pilots' Association of India (ALPA India) criticizes airlines and regulators over recent flight cancellations linked to new Flight Duty Time Limit (FDTL) norms. IndiGo Airlines experienced over 100 cancellations nationwide on December 3, prompting the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to investigate the causes and demand mitigation plans.
The cancellations have been attributed to operational challenges including technology issues, schedule adjustments for winter, weather concerns, congestion, and the recent change in crew rostering rules. The DGCA reported 1,232 cancellations in November, with 755 linked to the new FDTL norms enacted from November 1.
Regulatory Criticism and Safety Concerns
ALPA India states that the current situation exposes a failure in resource planning and may be an industry-wide attempt to pressure regulators into relaxing safety norms. The association emphasizes that granting exemptions to FDTL standards could jeopardize safety by increasing pilot fatigue, which the new regulations aim to reduce.
"Granting continuous or unwarranted exemptions to FDTL norms would compromise passenger and crew safety, as the entire purpose of the new norms is to reduce pilot fatigue. Any relaxation granted should be based on scientific assessment and adequate risk mitigation," said ALPA India.
Furthermore, the association criticizes potential misuse of FDTL waivers by airlines like Air India and Akasa Airlines, asserting that operational flexibility should not compromise safety standards. The regulator has called for airlines to assess pilot availability carefully when granting slots, especially under the new fatigue management system.
The aviation industry continues to grapple with balancing operational efficiency and safety compliance amid regulatory changes and market pressures, with authorities monitoring flight cancellations and safety implications closely.
