Air India has obtained a temporary extension of flight duty time limitation (FDTL) rules from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to manage the operational impact of ongoing airspace restrictions over Iran and Iraq. | File Pic (Representational Image)
Air India has obtained a temporary extension of flight duty time limitation (FDTL) rules from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to manage the operational impact of ongoing airspace restrictions over Iran and Iraq. The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) raised concerns over the extension, calling it detrimental to flight safety. The closure of key corridors in the Middle East has forced the mandatory rerouting of several long-haul flights. To avoid significant schedule disruptions and passenger inconvenience caused by the resulting increase in sector flight times, Air India sought and received specific exemptions to crew duty limits. Under the newly issued flight operations circular, the DGCA granted an extension of 1hr 30min, bringing the maximum permissible flight time (FT) to 11hr 30min. Similarly, the flight duty period (FDP) has also been allowed to be extended by 1hr 45min, taking the maximum permissible FDP to 14hr 45min. The extensions have been granted for two-pilot operations on the affected routes.According to the updated permissions, specific flights have also been exempted from the standard 30min roster planning buffer, which is usually required under civil aviation requirements. The CAR restricts FT at 10hr and FDP at 12hr with one landing. To ensure that safety is not compromised during this period of extended duty, Air India has committed to several mitigation strategies. Crew members operating under these exemptions will receive an additional 4hr of rest over and above the minimum rest periods prescribed by standard regulations. The circular stated that the airline will maintain constant monitoring and review of these operations in coordination with the regulator. All flight crews will be briefed on these exemptions. Flight-specific details will be communicated via Fleet Specific Company NOTAMS, which will serve as the formal briefing mechanism for the pilots involved.
“The unavailability of Iranian and Iraqi airspace has resulted in mandatory rerouting… necessitated a temporary FDTL extension for minimising schedule disruptions,” the circular noted, highlighting the logistical necessity of the move.
The exemption has come as a shock for the pilots community which had been trying for years to get the FDTL rules changed. The FIP wrote to the Director General of the DGCA as well as the Ministry of Civil Aviation, raising serious concerns about passenger safety. Calling the exemption “detrimental to fight safety,” it also raised doubts about the ambiguity in the airline’s circular about the number of sectors or landings.