India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday, December 5, rolled back recently introduced norms on pilot duty hours and leave policies following mass flight cancellations by the country’s dominant carrier, IndiGo. The chaos, which began December 2 due to staffing shortages at IndiGo, reached a peak on December 5 when all flights from Delhi were cancelled, stranding thousands of passengers across major cities like Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Patna, and Chandigarh.
The government regulator retracted the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules that had come into effect on November 1, calling it a “temporary one-time extension.” The revised framework replaced the prior rule that weekly rest could not be substituted with leave, a safety measure designed to prevent pilot fatigue. DGCA cited “ongoing operational disruptions” and representations from airlines seeking flexibility to maintain continuity in flight schedules as reasons for easing the rules.
Passengers faced significant hardships, with some being sent home only to be called back to board their flight minutes later, while others missed weddings and holiday plans. Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu had earlier instructed DGCA and IndiGo to normalize operations, but the disruptions worsened before the regulator issued its rollback.
DGCA chief Faiz Ahmed Kidwai appealed to pilot associations for cooperation, citing the upcoming fog season, peak holiday travel, and marriage travel period as factors that could further strain operations. Strengthening coordination between pilots and airlines was described as “indispensable” to manage safety and schedules effectively.
Industry experts criticized the move, saying the government had “succumbed to airline pressure,” with potential global safety implications. Mark Martin, a sector specialist, noted that reversing the FDTL norms could attract scrutiny after India’s aviation sector is already under international watch following past incidents, including the AI 171 crash in Ahmedabad. The decision underscores the tension between operational pressures and regulatory safety norms in India’s growing aviation market.