Pilots Demand Withdrawal of Aviation Safety Dispensations

The Federation of Indian Pilots has urged the withdrawal of dispensations granted to airlines regarding pilots' duty and rest period norms, emphasizing the importance of safety. They demand a review of pilot recruitment by the aviation safety regulator and insist all airline schedules consider available resources, including crew and infrastructure.

The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has called for the immediate withdrawal of special dispensations given to airlines concerning pilots' duty and rest period norms. The body, representing around 5,000 pilots, stresses that safety should not be compromised for commercial interests.

In a letter addressed to Union Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu, the FIP requested a periodic assessment of pilot recruitment by airlines, urging intervention from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The DGCA had previously issued relaxations under the Flight Duty Time Limitation, allowing more night operations and extended duty hours for certain aircraft.

FIP asserts that all domestic airlines have a sufficient number of pilots and insists that aircraft schedules should be contingent on the availability of essential personnel and resources. They argue that no aircraft schedule should proceed without fulfilling these conditions, as mandated by regulatory bodies.

(With inputs from agencies.)