'Restrictive': IndiGo, Air India, SpiceJet oppose DGCA cabin crew rest rules

Major Indian airlines, namely IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet, person pushed backmost against caller compartment unit remainder rules projected by DGCA successful October 2025. Through their typical assemblage FIA, they assertion that these rules are stricter than planetary standards and bounds their operational flexibility.

The airlines person submitted recommendations asking for much applicable and globally-aligned provisions.The Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) emphasised that formation work period, not formation time, should beryllium the main origin successful managing unit fatigue. In a missive dated January 12, they stated "The projected CAR model appears much restrictive compared to planetary standards, offering constricted operational flexibility, and not adequately addressing each fatigue concerns with the nuance required for divers types of operations.

"The airlines privation absorption connected formation work periods - the clip from erstwhile unit reports for work until they're escaped from each responsibilities - alternatively than conscionable formation time. They suggest avoiding strict cumulative caps oregon linking remainder straight to the fig of landings.Regarding accommodation, the carriers judge remainder prime should beryllium the priority. They enactment twin-sharing arrangements nether airline-defined guidelines.

The airlines besides constituent retired that planetary standards absorption connected capable remainder accidental and matching section nighttime clip alternatively than wherever crews rest.This treatment comes astatine a captious time, arsenic the aviation assemblage is inactive grappling with implementing revised aviator work clip limits. These implementation challenges were partially liable for IndiGo's large formation disruptions successful aboriginal December past year.The airlines person stressed that remainder regulations should beryllium evidence-based and applicable portion maintaining planetary harmony successful standards. They privation rules that equilibrium operational needs with unit payment without being overly restrictive.