DGCA Allows Limited Flight-Duty Extension for Air India Boeing 787 Pilots
India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has granted a specific extension of flight duty limits for two-pilot operations of Air India’s Boeing 787 Dreamliners. Under the new provision, Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rises from 10 hours to 10 hours 30 minutes, and the Flight Duty Period (FDP) increases from 13 hours to up to 14 hours. The extension applies only to selected routes — largely from northern Indian airports such as Delhi and Amritsar towards the west — where detours (including the closure of Pakistan airspace) cause extended flight time by up to 30 minutes.
Safety Concerns and Pilot Response
The pilots’ union, Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA), has raised strong objections, stating the change could increase the risk of fatigue and compromise safety. ALPA argues that even a modest extension in duty hours may erode the safety buffer that current rules provide. In response, the DGCA has emphasised that the waiver is “case-specific” and not a blanket change across all Dreamliner operations.
Operational and Oversight Implications
The DGCA requirement conditions that any extension be approved crew by crew and flight by flight; also, the additional time must be factored in during rostering and cannot be used routinely in flight planning. The regulator has asked Air India to monitor fatigue levels closely and submit reports on crew fitness. Observers say the move reflects the tension between operational flexibility and crew rest management amid evolving route dynamics.
