Delhi HC Increases Rest to 48 Hours for Indian Pilots

DELHI – The Delhi High Court has ruled that airlines must increase pilots’ weekly rest from 36 to 48 hours starting July 1, 2025. The decision follows a prolonged delay in implementing new duty and rest regulations introduced by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

This rule, originally announced in January 2024, was postponed due to objections from the airlines. However, after multiple rounds of court-ordered mediation, the High Court has now set firm deadlines for their enforcement.

Under the new regulations, pilots must receive a continuous 48-hour weekly rest period, ensuring that no more than 168 hours (seven days) pass between the end of one rest period and the start of the next. This represents a significant increase from the current 36-hour rest period.

Additionally, airlines will be entitled to submit quarterly reports to the DGCA detailing pilot fatigue complaints and the actions taken to address them.

Photo: PTI

Night Duty Restrictions Coming in November

While most of the new norms will take effect in July, the court has delayed the implementation of stricter night duty limitations until November 1, 2025. These restrictions include the following.

• Redefining night duty to cover flights between midnight and 6 a.m. instead of the current midnight to 5 a.m.
• Limiting pilots to no more than two consecutive night shifts.
• Reducing maximum night flight time to eight hours, with a total duty period (including pre-and post-flight tasks) capped at ten hours.
• Restricting the number of landings during night duty to two per shift.

Moreover, an additional 24-hour rest period after two consecutive ultra-long-haul flights, such as those to the U.S., was also included in the original DGCA proposal. However, its implementation has been postponed to November, giving airlines more time to adjust their scheduling.

Photo: Pieter Elbers

New Limits on Duty Extensions in Emergencies

Beyond scheduling changes, the High Court has also imposed stricter limits on pilot duty extensions in unforeseen circumstances such as bad weather or medical emergencies. Previously, airlines could extend pilot duty beyond the standard 13-hour limit and flight time beyond ten hours, with a maximum overrun of three hours.

However, under the new rules:

• The allowable duty overrun is reduced from three hours to two.
• Pilots must receive longer rest periods following extended duty hours.

As a whole, these regulatory changes follow legal action taken by several pilot unions, including the Federation of Indian Pilots, the Indian Pilots’ Guild, and the Indian Commercial Pilots’ Association.

The unions petitioned the court in May 2024, arguing that delaying the new DGCA regulations put flight safety at risk by failing to address pilot fatigue.

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