New Delhi: The Delhi high court on Friday questioned the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) over the rationale behind an “indefinite” relaxation of norms prohibiting airlines from substituting pilots’ weekly rest with leaves, amid ongoing concerns over flight safety and fatigue. A division bench led by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia issued notices to DGCA, the Centre, and IndiGo, demanding responses within two weeks on a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by former aircraft engineer Sabari Roy.
Acccording to roports, the PIL challenges DGCA’s December 5, 2025, orders that placed new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules in abeyance, following widespread cancellations after their rollout triggered crew shortages. Key provisions — mandatory 48-hour weekly rest (up from 36 hours), no leave substitution for rest, and night duty caps — aimed to combat pilot fatigue after over 77 aviation incidents in 2025. DGCA counsel Anjana Gosain clarified to the court that “weekly rest is non-negotiable” and no blanket exemptions were granted; only IndiGo received time-bound relief for night operations until February 10, 2026.
“Why indefinite for one while finite for the other?” the bench asked, noting one exemption letter lacked a deadline unlike the night-duty waiver. Gosain attributed the relaxations to airline audits revealing pilots combining rest with leaves, causing disruptions, but stressed leaves remain contractual. The court reiterated public safety trumps operations, refusing to dismiss fatigue risks despite DGCA’s phased implementation plan from July 2025.
Pilots’ unions welcomed scrutiny, citing CAR revisions limiting weekly rest gaps to 168 hours and home-base mandates. IndiGo faces additional flak for “low-cost” branding without statutory basis and failing cancellation amenities. The matter has been listed for April 2026 hearing.
