Civil Aviation Turmoil: Leaders Blame Game Over FDTL Regulations

YSRCP leader Margani Bharat accused Union Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu of incompetence over the aviation crisis due to new FDTL rules. Chandrababu Naidu defended the regulations for ensuring pilot rest. The crisis has led to pilot shortages and increased passenger inconvenience.

YSRCP's Margani Bharat has harshly criticized Union Civil Aviation Minister K Ram Mohan Naidu, holding him accountable for the nation's aviation crisis. Bharat argues that the abrupt enforcement of new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules has led to a severe pilot shortage.

Bharat claims the Centre's failure to conduct a comprehensive departmental review before extending pilots' rest time from 36 to 48 hours has compromised passenger safety. This change, Bharat states, has seriously inconvenienced travellers and led to widespread flight cancellations, particularly affecting IndiGo, which operates 2,300 flights daily.

Chandrababu Naidu rebuts these allegations, stating that the FDTL rules were adopted per international standards to ensure pilots receive sufficient rest. He asserted that the current passenger inconvenience is primarily due to IndiGo's operational failures rather than regulatory missteps.