The Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA) has urged the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to reject any proposals from airlines seeking relaxation in Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms, following the deaths of two pilots due to heart attacks within a span of two days.
In a letter to DGCA chief Vir Vikram Yadav, with a copy marked to Civil Aviation Secretary Samir Kumar Sinha, ALPA India called for a time-bound roadmap to fully implement the revised FDTL regulations, along with a transparent and accountable fatigue reporting mechanism featuring quarterly public disclosures. NDTV Profit has accessed a copy of the letter.
The association also demanded that pending inquiry reports and medical fitness data be disclosed to strengthen oversight and accountability.
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The appeal comes after an Air India pilot died in Bali during scheduled rest, while an Akasa Air pilot passed away during training. Both were off duty at the time of their deaths.
ALPA India flagged concerns over delays in implementing revised FDTL norms, which mandate increased rest hours, after airlines cited operational challenges. It called on the regulator to initiate a “structured and time-bound programme for the gradual withdrawal of all such variations,” ensuring uniform implementation across carriers.
Citing information obtained through RTI, the body pointed to an “alarmingly low rate of acceptance of fatigue reports by operators,” adding that “such trends are inconsistent with the principles of a just safety culture and undermine fatigue risk management systems.”
The grouping warned against any dilution of the approved framework. “Any reconsideration or dilution of the approved FDTL framework at this stage would be difficult to justify… such overtures from the airlines must be categorically rebuffed,” it said.
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Highlighting broader risks, ALPA India noted that operational disruptions due to crew shortages have previously had a disproportionate national impact, underscoring the need to ensure 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,” it added.
The letter also linked recent incidents and health concerns to operational pressures, stating that “the continued occurrence of untimely pilot fatalities and adverse health outcomes… warrants urgent attention,” and emphasised that pilots must be “genuinely well-rested and operationally fit,” not merely compliant with regulatory limits.
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