The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has granted Air India a temporary exemption from meeting pilot duty norms due to the ongoing West Asia crisis. This relaxation will enable the airline to operate some long-haul flights with two pilots despite longer flying times caused by the closure of airspaces over the war-torn region.
The exemption, which was allowed on March 13, comes after Air India approached the DGCA on March 12, citing operational constraints triggered by airspace restrictions. The airline has been forced to take longer routes due to the closure of Iraqi and Iranian airspaces, as well as the continued closure of Pakistani airspace for Indian-registered aircraft.
Under the existing rules, the maximum flying time permitted for a two-pilot crew is 10 hours, while the maximum Flight Duty Period (FDP) is capped at 13 hours. However, the DGCA has permitted an extension of the flight time by 1.5 hours, allowing a maximum flying time of 11.5 hours for two-pilot operations.
The permissible Flight Duty Period has also been extended by an hour and 45 minutes, allowing a maximum FDP of 14 hours and 45 minutes for the affected flights. The exemption will remain in effect until April 30 and will apply only to specific sectors.
Airline officials said the permission gives Air India space to allow itself to rework its rostering and mitigate disruptions caused by the restrictions. The airline has also assured mitigation measures during the exemption period, including continuous monitoring with the regulator, mandatory crew briefings, and an additional rest period of four hours for crew members.
