In a unified front, India’s leading airlines—including IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet—have formally urged the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to reconsider and relax proposed fatigue management rules for cabin crew. Represented by the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), the carriers warned in a letter dated February 12, 2026, that the draft regulations are “more restrictive” than global standards and could lead to mass flight cancellations.
The industry’s pushback follows a turbulent December 2025, where IndiGo was forced to cancel over 4,500 flights due to similar implementation hurdles with new pilot fatigue norms.
The Contentious “New Norms”
The DGCA’s draft framework, introduced in October 2025, aims to enhance safety by aligning cabin crew rest periods with the stricter standards recently applied to pilots. However, airlines argue the following three pillars are “unsustainable”:
| Proposed Rule | Current Standard | Industry Concern |
| Weekly Rest | 36 Hours | 48 Hours |
| Night Duty Window | Midnight – 5 AM | Midnight – 6 AM |
| Accommodation | Shared Rooms | Single Rooms |
Major Industry Arguments
The FIA’s communication highlights that while the rules aim for safety, their cumulative impact could “severely” diminish the competitiveness of Indian airlines in the global market.
- Logistical Nightmares: Airlines argue that mandating single-occupancy hotel rooms during layovers will create a crisis at major hubs like Delhi and Mumbai, where hotel inventory is already limited. They contend that twin-sharing allows for “quicker assistance during medical emergencies.”
- Global Divergence: The FIA noted that India’s definition of ultra-long-haul (ULH) flights as those over 14 hours is stricter than the 16-hour global benchmark, putting Indian carriers at a disadvantage on international routes.
- Productivity Hit: By extending the night duty definition by one hour (ending at 6 AM instead of 5 AM), airlines claim a significant portion of early-morning domestic “red-eye” flights will be disrupted by stricter landing caps.
A Sector Under Scrutiny
The timing of this lobbying effort is critical. The DGCA has been tightening its oversight following an Air India crash in June 2025 that resulted in 260 fatalities. While investigations are ongoing, pilot fatigue and mental health have remained at the center of the regulatory conversation.
Furthermore, IndiGo just completed a two-month “probationary” period on February 11, during which it was granted a temporary exemption from pilot fatigue rules to stabilize its operations. The DGCA has now mandated that the airline return to full compliance, adding further pressure on the carrier to manage its crew rosters effectively.
What the Airlines Want
The FIA has requested the government to:
- Phase in the rules over a longer period rather than an immediate rollout.
- Align landing caps with “fatigue science” rather than rigid time windows.
- Prioritize flight duty periods over pure flight time as the primary metric for fatigue management.
