New Delhi, 30 January (H.S.): The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) informed the Delhi High Court on Friday that no compromise can be made on the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) policy mandating weekly rest for pilots. A bench presided over by Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyay directed the central government and DGCA to file detailed responses on this issue.

During the hearing, counsel Anjan Goswami, representing DGCA, clarified that no alterations have been made to the weekly rest policy for pilots, nor has it been withdrawn. He specified that only IndiGo Airlines received relaxation for night flights.

The High Court, hearing a petition challenging the suspension of FDTL rules following widespread flight disruptions in December 2025, had previously issued notices to the central government and DGCA. The court instructed Goswami to return with instructions the next day, emphasizing that FDTL regulations must be enforced as they directly concern passenger safety. The petition was filed by Sabra Roy Lenka and other petitioners.

The petition asserts that DGCA lacks authority to halt FDTL implementation. It notes that DGCA introduced FDTL rules in 2025, prescribing specific working hours and rest periods for pilots in alignment with international standards.

However, India's largest airline IndiGo failed to comply properly, triggering massive flight cancellations in December 2025 that caused significant passenger inconvenience.

Following passenger hardships, DGCA temporarily suspended FDTL rules until February to allow airlines time to streamline operations. The petition also demands directions prohibiting airlines from branding themselves as low-cost carriers, arguing that no such classification exists under the Aircraft Act regulations.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar