Pilots Push DGCA for Unequivocal Flight Duty Norms Implementation
ALPA India is pressing the DGCA to fully implement revised flight duty norms without exceptions, emphasizing that current relaxations prioritize commercial interests over pilot safety. Despite initial airline resistance, most new regulations were enacted, though pilots criticize persistent selective applications favoring operators, compromising safety and regulatory integrity.
- Country:
- India
On Tuesday, ALPA India, a pilots' association, called on aviation safety regulator DGCA to fully implement the new flight duty time and rest period norms for pilots without exceptions. This plea highlights concerns that current relaxations appear to serve commercial interests over pilot safety.
According to ALPA India, recent dispensations are introduced without adequate consultation with pilots, contradicting the primary mandate of the DGCA to ensure flight safety. Initial opposition from airlines led to a phased implementation plan for the revised norms, which were mandated following legal proceedings.
Despite many norms coming into effect, pilots continue to criticize selective applications that undermine safety regulations. ALPA India urges for comprehensive regulatory implementation, maintaining that pilots, as key stakeholders in operational safety, deserve a more participative approach in these decisions.
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