New Delhi, March 12: Amid escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, Air India has requested a temporary relaxation of flight duty time limitation (FDTL) regulations from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). This information emerged in a report on Thursday.
According to NDTV Profit, the Tata Group-owned airline has asked the DGCA to allow certain long-haul flights to operate with two pilots instead of the usual three. Additionally, Air India is seeking an extension of the maximum flight time limit.
Sources from NDTV Profit indicate that Air India has requested an increase of 1 hour and 3 minutes in the permitted flight time. This would raise the maximum flight duration from 10 hours to approximately 11 to 11.5 hours.
Furthermore, the airline has also requested an extension of the maximum flight duty period (FDP), proposing to increase the duty time from 13 hours to 14 hours and 45 minutes, which translates to an additional 1 hour and 45 minutes.
The report highlights that due to restricted airspace in several regions and the closure of Pakistani airspace to Indian airlines, flights are being forced to take longer routes.
As a result, airlines are navigating over the Arabian Sea, parts of Central Asia, and Africa, significantly increasing flight times. This situation is also leading to higher fuel consumption and putting additional pressure on crew duty time limits.
According to the report, the DGCA recently advised Indian airlines to avoid the airspace of 11 Middle Eastern countries, which have been identified as high-risk areas.
For Air India, avoiding the airspace of Iran and Iraq has considerably extended the duration of several long-haul flights, leading the airline to cancel multiple flights this week.
The report states that Air India’s proposal is currently under consideration by the DGCA, which is reviewing the request.
Officials noted that other companies in the aviation industry are facing similar route-related challenges, but so far, IndiGo has not submitted a similar request to the DGCA.
However, the report mentions that Air India did not promptly respond to inquiries regarding potential issues related to crew fatigue.
My name is Bhupendra Singh Chundawat. I am an experienced content writer with several years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.
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