NEW DELHI: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has warned Air India against misusing exemptions given for pilot flight duty rules under special circumstances. After Pakistan had closed its airspace to Indian carriers on April 24, 2025, the regulator had granted an exemption from flight duty time limitation (FDTL) norms so that Air India could continue its affected flights between the West and India.
However under the pretext of this exemption allowing it to keep pilots flying longer, Air India reduced the number of cockpit crew from the unaffected Bengaluru-London flight - which didn't enter Pakistan airspace - from three to two on two flights. A livid regulator pulled up AI for what a senior official described as "oversmartness". This FDTL exemption ended June 12, the day AI 171 crashed.
Nine days after the Ahmedabad crash, the DGCA had issued AI a show-cause for operating two Bengaluru-London flights on May 16 and 17 by making pilots fly for longer than the 10 hours allowed as per the FDTL given to AI at that point of time.
On Aug 11, the DGCA told AI that its "response to (that) show-cause notice has been duly examined and found to be unsatisfactory in addressing the regulatory lapses and deficiencies noted".
It also noted that the airline's "accountable manager (CEO Campbell Wilson) failed to ensure compliance with the rules". "Accordingly, the accountable manager of AI is hereby warned and advised to exercise utmost diligence and responsibility in ensuring strict compliance with the applicable civil aviation requirements (DGCA rules)," the DGCA warning letter said.
For its part, an AI spokesperson said: "AI is in receipt of the DGCA letter with regard to rostering issues on two long-haul flights reported in mid-May that arose due to a different interpretation of a permission that was granted to mitigate the border-related airspace closure. This was corrected immediately after the right interpretation was conveyed to us. Air India remains fully compliant with the rules."
However under the pretext of this exemption allowing it to keep pilots flying longer, Air India reduced the number of cockpit crew from the unaffected Bengaluru-London flight - which didn't enter Pakistan airspace - from three to two on two flights. A livid regulator pulled up AI for what a senior official described as "oversmartness". This FDTL exemption ended June 12, the day AI 171 crashed.
Nine days after the Ahmedabad crash, the DGCA had issued AI a show-cause for operating two Bengaluru-London flights on May 16 and 17 by making pilots fly for longer than the 10 hours allowed as per the FDTL given to AI at that point of time.
On Aug 11, the DGCA told AI that its "response to (that) show-cause notice has been duly examined and found to be unsatisfactory in addressing the regulatory lapses and deficiencies noted".
It also noted that the airline's "accountable manager (CEO Campbell Wilson) failed to ensure compliance with the rules". "Accordingly, the accountable manager of AI is hereby warned and advised to exercise utmost diligence and responsibility in ensuring strict compliance with the applicable civil aviation requirements (DGCA rules)," the DGCA warning letter said.
For its part, an AI spokesperson said: "AI is in receipt of the DGCA letter with regard to rostering issues on two long-haul flights reported in mid-May that arose due to a different interpretation of a permission that was granted to mitigate the border-related airspace closure. This was corrected immediately after the right interpretation was conveyed to us. Air India remains fully compliant with the rules."
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