GURUGRAM- IndiGo Airlines (6E) and Air India (AI) have strongly opposed the DGCA’s proposal to extend night flying restrictions for pilots, citing potential operational problems.
On December 4, the airlines submitted formal answers that addressed certain parts of the DGCA’s January 2024 pilot fatigue management recommendations.
Air India IndiGo Pilots
Isidro Porequras, IndiGo’s Chief Operating Officer (COO), has openly rejected the DGCA’s request to expand the definition of night flying beyond the present midnight-5 AM zone to include 6 AM.
The airline emphasized keeping the present time period, as the proposed change would dramatically lower pilots’ allowable night flying hours, which are currently limited to two consecutive nights per week.
The Air India Group has conditionally accepted the new night flying definition: the DGCA must first establish an advanced data-driven fatigue management system. Both Air India and its subsidiary, Air India Express (IX), reiterated this stance in their December 4 submissions.
The airlines have also provided delayed implementation schedules for increasing pilots’ weekly rest hours from 36 to 48. IndiGo recommended a staggered rollout from June 2025 to beyond July 2026, whereas Air India Group suggested a June 2025 start date.
These responses come nine months after the DGCA discontinued its initial implementation plan. The FDA had planned to implement these measures on June 1, 2024, but they were halted on March 26 due to overwhelming industry resistance.
In April, the DGCA requested that airlines submit their recommended implementation timetables.
The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) has produced specific guidelines for Fatigue Risk Management Systems (FRMS).
The firm defines FRMS as a data-driven methodology that continuously analyzes and manages fatigue-related safety concerns, using scientific concepts, expertise, and operational experience to ensure staff remain aware.
Complex Implementation Challenges
IndiGo has taken a tough stance on night flight laws, seeking to impose landing limitations no sooner than October 2026. The airline states that these limits should only apply when flights last from midnight to 5 a.m., with extra landings permitted for partial night-time operations.
According to aviation experts, takeoffs and landings pose the biggest disaster risks. These essential flight phases necessitate quick decision-making near ground level, as pilots manage complex aircraft configurations while dealing with air traffic and weather issues.
IndiGo has linked its regulatory compliance to the DGCA’s adoption of FRMS. Similarly, SpiceJet intends to postpone implementation until March 2026, citing the need to increase its pilot employment by 25%. The airline has also asked exemptions for the monsoon and fog seasons.
Captain Amit Singh, an international airline pilot and leader of the Safety Matters Foundation, provides critical context. He points out that ICAO Annexe 6 clearly advises FRMS for markets with established aviation safety systems.
Countries lacking this maturity must adhere to prescriptive rules. Singh reminds out that the ICAO’s most recent audit indicated India’s failure to meet its State Safety Programme Foundation, which includes essential safety supervision operations.
Singh elaborates on the physiological effects of night flying. The body’s natural mending activities take place between 2 and 5 a.m. during sleep. Night operations interrupt the circadian rhythm, impeding necessary recovery.
This interruption accumulates over several days, causing cognitive impairment. While European aviation standards require two days and two nights of rest twice a month, Indian guidelines currently only need 36 hours of rest each week.