Indian Airlines Voice Concerns Over DGCA's Draft Cabin Crew Fatigue Regulations
Major Indian carriers, including IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet, have raised significant objections to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation's (DGCA) proposed cabin crew rest norms. According to a PTI report, these airlines, represented by the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), have labeled the draft Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) on Cabin Crew Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) as "more restrictive" than international standards. They argue that the framework offers limited operational flexibility and fails to adequately address fatigue concerns with the necessary nuance for diverse airline operations.
Focus on Flight Duty Period Over Flight Time
A central recommendation from the FIA is that the flight duty period, rather than flight time, should serve as the primary metric for managing cabin crew fatigue on a daily basis. In a letter dated January 12, the FIA emphasized that duty and rest limits should concentrate on the flight duty period and minimum rest periods, while avoiding rigid cumulative caps or direct linkages to the number of landings. Typically, a flight duty period commences when a cabin crew member is instructed to report for duty and concludes when they are free from all responsibilities, whereas flight time refers specifically to the duration of a flight.
The FIA has advocated for "globally-harmonised, evidence-based and operationally practical provisions" to ensure that regulations are both effective and feasible for airlines to implement. This approach aims to balance safety with operational efficiency, preventing overly stringent rules that could hinder airline schedules and service reliability.
Accommodation Standards and Rest Quality
Regarding proposed norms for cabin crew accommodation, the FIA has suggested that standards should prioritize rest quality over physical location. The federation stated that twin-sharing arrangements should be permitted under operator-defined guidelines, as international frameworks recognize that effective fatigue recovery depends more on sufficient rest opportunities and circadian alignment (such as local night rest) than on where the rest occurs. This perspective highlights the need for flexible, outcome-focused regulations rather than prescriptive rules that may not account for varying operational contexts.
Broader Context: Pilot Norms and Recent Disruptions
The debate over cabin crew regulations occurs against a backdrop of ongoing challenges with pilot FDTL norms. Revised FDTL rules for pilots have not been fully implemented due to legal battles, and non-compliance with these provisions contributed to significant operational disruptions at IndiGo in early December 2025. During that period, IndiGo, a dominant player in India's aviation sector, canceled over 5,000 flights, reportedly due to severe crew shortages stemming from its failure to adopt new pilot regulations.
The airline attributed the chaos to "a multitude of unforeseen operational challenges," including minor technical glitches, winter schedule adjustments, airport congestion, and adverse weather conditions. This incident underscores the critical importance of well-crafted regulations that support both safety and operational stability in the aviation industry.
As the DGCA reviews feedback from airlines, the outcome of these discussions will shape the future of cabin crew working conditions and fatigue management in Indian aviation, with implications for airline efficiency and passenger experiences nationwide.
