Parliament Question: Dispensation/variation given to the airlines on pilot duty and rest norms

GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION RAJYA SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 974 TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 9th February 2026 DISPENSATION/VARIATION GIVEN TO THE AIRLINES ON PILOT DUTY AND REST NORMS 974. SHRI P. P. SUNEER Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION be pleased to state:- (a) whether it is a fact that Government had given certain dispensation/variations to the airlines on pilots duty and rest period norms; (b) if so, the details thereof; (c) whether these relief on pilots duty norms has been withdrawn, so that safety is not compromised, if not, the reasons therefor; and (d) the steps being taken for a periodic review of the recruitment of pilots by airlines by the aviation safety regulator, DGCA? ANSWER Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION (Shri Murlidhar Mohol) (a) to (c): Yes, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has granted certain variations to airlines from CAR Section 7, Series J, Part III based on operational constraints from the following provisions: (i) Clause 3.11 - Night Duty (ii) Clause 6.1 - Maximum Flight time/ Flight Duty Period/ Number of Landings (iii) Clause 10.5 - Rest related to transport time (iv) Clause 10.6.1 - Weekly rest of 60 hours (v) Clause 13.3 - Consecutive night duties (vi) Clause 15.5.2 - Post-ULR flight rest (vii) Clause 16 - Unforeseen circumstancesThese variations/dispensations were granted for a limited period of six months i.e. upto 30th April 2026 after due consideration of safety risk analysis. Further, as requested by M/s Indigo, temporary exemption from the provisions of Clauses 3.11 and 6.1.4 of FDTL CAR 7/J/III has been granted up to 10.02.2026 solely to support operational stabilization in view of public interest. (d): Recruitment of pilots is carried out based on the airlines operational requirement, network and aircraft fleet. However, the DGCA has been regularly interacting with the operator and obtaining weekly and fortnightly reports on critical operational and manpower parameters to monitor operational stability and ensure continued regulatory oversight. ******