In the first week of November, Indian aviation found itself grappling with widespread delays and growing passenger frustration as the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s (DGCA) revised Flight Duty Time Limit (FDTL) norms came into force. Despite being announced nearly a year ago, the new rules—aimed at reducing pilot fatigue—appear to have caught several airlines unprepared, triggering operational disruptions at some of the country’s busiest airports.

Government data accessed by Hindustan Times provides a stark picture of the situation. From November 1 to 3, the average on-time performance (OTP) of major Indian airlines plummeted across the four metro airports—Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru and Hyderabad—indicating a deepening strain on operations. According to the data, the average OTPs during this period were 68.4% for IndiGo, 64.5% for Air India, 58.3% for Akasa, 53.9% for Alliance Air and 43.6% for SpiceJet. These figures represent a sharp deterioration from typical performance levels and underscore the turbulence that has hit India’s aviation sector right as the winter schedule begins.

Airlines have remained cautious in publicly discussing the disruptions. While IndiGo and Air India did not respond to requests for comment, Akasa Air acknowledged on Monday that the new FDTL norms had impacted its operations. The airline stated that it was implementing “certain operational adjustments” in compliance with Phase 2 of the revised FDTL regulations and that these adjustments had caused temporary disruptions. Akasa insisted that further delays were not expected, though other operators and industry insiders suggested the crisis could persist.

According to people closely familiar with airline operations, delays are likely to continue for at least a week, if not longer. An aviation official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that inadequate roster planning was a major contributor to the delays. “Flights are being delayed and the additional factor impacting operations is poor roster planning, as the new duty time limitations for crew came into effect this month,” the official said. He noted that despite being given ample time to prepare, airlines did not adjust their crew schedules proactively.

The revised FDTL rules—first issued in January 2024 in response to increasing reports of pilot fatigue—were initially slated for rollout on June 1, 2024. Airlines pushed back, citing shortages in trained manpower, constraints in reassigning flight routes, and operational disruptions stemming from geopolitical tensions such as the closure of Pakistan’s airspace. These pressures, they argued, made the immediate implementation of the new norms unviable. Due to these representations, DGCA deferred the full rollout and opted for a staggered approach: 15 clauses came into effect on July 1, while the remaining seven clauses, including critical regulations affecting night duty, rest periods, and cumulative duty time limits, were postponed until November 1.

According to a second official familiar with internal communications between airlines and the regulator, carriers expected yet another extension. “DGCA has been extending the FDTL implementation deadline for some time. With the continued closure of Pakistan’s airspace impacting operations and profitability, airlines were hopeful for another extension. That did not materialise, leaving them unprepared,” the official said. This assumption of regulatory leniency, he suggested, contributed significantly to the poor preparedness that is now disrupting flight schedules nationwide.

The aviation industry has generally welcomed the revised FDTL rules as a step toward improving flight safety, aligning India with global best practices, and preventing overworked pilots from operating under fatigue. But the transition requires meticulous resource management. A senior aviation analyst observed that the new duty time requirements mandate granular planning for pilot rosters, managing reserve crew, and reconfiguring flight pairings—tasks that demand considerable lead time. “The new FDTL rules require detailed planning, and airlines began preparing for them rather late,” he said. “They were required to prepare duty rosters at least 15 days in advance, which was not done properly by most major carriers.”

The consequences have become visible in congested terminals, stretched crew availability, and mounting flight backlogs at India’s busiest hubs. Passengers have reported last-minute gate changes, extended waiting periods, and sudden cancellations—conditions that airlines have attributed to “operational constraints,” a euphemism that masks the deeper issue of systemic unpreparedness.

Industry consultant Mark Martin, CEO of Martin Consulting, criticised airlines sharply for what he described as an attempt to “arm-twist the regulator.” According to him, there is no ambiguity about the fact that the revised norms were notified well in advance for feedback, planning, and eventual compliance. “It was clear that they would be in place by November, and airlines should have been prepared. These delays and cancellations appear to be nothing more than an immature pressure tactic by airlines to arm-twist the regulator—making passengers bear the brunt,” he said. Martin dismissed the suggestion that the transition from summer to winter schedules may have caused disruptions, asserting that such transitions happen every year and have never previously led to such widespread operational crises.

The delays have come at an unfortunate moment for Indian aviation. Airlines had already been navigating several challenges: fluctuating fuel prices, rising demand pressure, aircraft maintenance delays, and route disruptions caused by restricted airspace over Pakistan. The FDTL rollout, though intended to improve long-term safety standards, has added a layer of complexity that airlines seemingly underestimated.

The revised norms include stricter limits on night-time duty periods, reducing the number of consecutive night shifts pilots can undertake, increasing required rest times between duties, and modifying the cumulative flight hour limits per week and per month. These measures require airlines to expand crew strength, reorganise network schedules, adapt long-haul flight planning, and optimise turn-around strategies. Carriers with smaller pilot pools, such as Alliance Air and SpiceJet, appear to have been hit the hardest.

While DGCA has not formally commented on the disruptions, the regulator is reported to be closely monitoring compliance and operational integrity. Officials have indicated that the rules will not be rolled back and that airlines must align their operations with the revised regulatory framework without further delay.

For passengers, the immediate future could be bumpy. With several airlines adjusting rosters and reassigning crew at short notice, the next week is expected to see inconsistencies in flight operations. Travelers have been advised by airlines and airport authorities to check flight status frequently, anticipate longer wait times, and account for possible changes in gate assignments or boarding schedules.

In the longer term, however, experts argue that the revised norms will benefit both pilots and passengers by improving safety margins and reducing fatigue-related risks—provided airlines invest appropriately in staffing, planning, and operational discipline.

For now, the aviation sector finds itself navigating turbulence largely of its own making—caught between overdue safety reforms, regulatory certainty, and an apparent reluctance to adapt promptly to rules meant to protect both passengers and crew.

---