ALPA flags pilot fatigue after untimely deaths

The Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA) has written to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), expressing concern over the deferment of full implementation of the court-mandated Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) framework, warning that continued delays and regulatory relaxations could undermine flight safety and worsen pilot fatigue. 

The association has said extensions to airlines granted by the DGCA pose a safety risk and should be withdrawn. The association also demanded that pending inquiry reports and medical fitness data be disclosed to strengthen oversight and accountability. The association made this demand following the untimely deaths of two Air India and Akasa Air pilots this week.

“The continued grant of variations to operators has materially diluted the intent of the flight duty time limitation regulations (FDTL). 

These variations, originally conceived as transitional measures, have effectively become the norm. This defeats the purpose of the fatigue management framework and perpetuates scheduling practices that operate at or near regulatory limits without adequate safety buffers, “ ALPA India president Captain Sam Thomas said in a letter to the DGCA on Thursday.

The revised FDTL rules came into effect last November. IndiGo was granted certain exemptions until February 10 following flight disruptions last November. In March, Air India was allowed relaxation in duty time for long-haul flights. The move was necessitated due to airspace closures following the Iran-US conflict.

These are among the demands made by ALPA India, which said there are concerns about flight safety, regulatory credibility and the well-being of flight crew, especially in the wake of the deaths of the pilots.