Delhi High Court Scrutinizes Deferment of Revised Pilot Rest Rules
The Delhi High Court on Friday took significant action by issuing formal notices to the aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and InterGlobe Aviation, which operates the airline IndiGo. This development came in response to a petition challenging the decision to postpone the implementation of revised Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules until February 10th, following widespread flight disruptions that occurred in December.
Court's Selective Approach and Key Questions
Interestingly, the court declined to issue notices to all airlines as requested by IndiGo's senior counsel, Sandeep Sethi, during the proceedings. A bench led by Chief Justice Devendra Kumar Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia specifically directed the DGCA and IndiGo to provide detailed explanations. The court demanded clarity on why the new FDTL rules were kept on hold and what specific relaxations, if any, were granted to the airline. The case is scheduled for further hearing after approximately two weeks.
The court's scrutiny focused on several critical aspects of the regulatory communications. It asked the aviation regulator to clarify whether its communications in November and December had effectively weakened the mandatory weekly rest rules for pilots. Furthermore, the bench questioned whether these communications permitted airlines to combine pilots' leave with legally required rest periods. A particularly pointed inquiry was whether IndiGo received special, time-bound relaxations under the new regulatory framework.
Background of the Public Interest Litigation
The court was hearing a public interest petition filed by Sabari Roy Lenka and other concerned individuals. The petitioners presented a compelling argument that the DGCA lacks the authority to suspend rules specifically designed to ensure pilot safety. They emphasized that the revised FDTL norms must be enforced uniformly across all airlines without exception or preferential treatment.
The controversy originated when the revised FDTL rules came into effect on November 1st. These updated regulations introduced stricter measures, including reduced pilot duty hours and a mandatory requirement for pilots to receive a continuous 48-hour weekly rest period. During routine audits, the DGCA discovered that certain airlines were inappropriately treating pilots' leave as part of their mandatory weekly rest.
Regulatory Communications and Subsequent Confusion
To address this concerning practice, the DGCA issued a crucial clarification on November 20th, explicitly stating that leave cannot replace mandatory weekly rest under any circumstances. However, the situation became complicated when IndiGo encountered significant staff rostering problems and subsequent flight cancellations in December.
In response to these operational challenges, the DGCA granted IndiGo temporary relief until February 10th. This relief included removing the specific line from its November advisory that had prohibited airlines from substituting weekly rest with leave. The petitioners argued that this removal created substantial regulatory confusion and potentially opened the door for airlines to once again combine leave with legally required rest periods.
DGCA's Defense and Court's Persistent Concerns
During the hearing, the DGCA presented its defense to the court, asserting that it has not relaxed weekly rest rules for any airline. The regulator maintained that mandatory rest for pilots remains "non-negotiable" and applies uniformly to all carriers. The DGCA attributed the confusion to multiple communications issued during audits and while responding to airline requests during the December disruptions.
Despite this defense, the High Court bench expressed serious concerns about the partial withdrawal of the November advisory, which had originally applied to all airlines. The bench observed that removing the ban on substituting leave for rest could potentially revert the rules to older aviation requirements that do not clearly regulate leave provisions. This regression could enable airlines to once again combine leave with mandatory rest, undermining the safety objectives of the revised FDTL rules.
The court also questioned why one communication applied universally to all airlines while another appeared limited to IndiGo and for a fixed period. This discrepancy raised important questions about whether such differential treatment led to regulatory confusion or constituted special treatment for a particular carrier.
Broader Context and Safety Implications
The revised FDTL rules, introduced in 2025, represent a significant advancement in aviation safety. These regulations aim to reduce pilot fatigue through stricter duty limits and longer rest periods, aligning Indian aviation standards with global best practices. When these rules took effect, IndiGo experienced considerable challenges in managing its flight schedules, resulting in widespread disruptions that affected numerous passengers.
To minimize passenger inconvenience during this transition period, the DGCA temporarily suspended certain aspects of the new rules while airlines adjusted their operations. The High Court has now granted time to both the DGCA and IndiGo to submit all relevant documents, including letters, audit reports, and policy justifications, for thorough examination in the upcoming hearing.
