Airlines industry flag ‘Operational Instability’ Over draft cabin crew rest norms

Notably, the federation described the draft rules as more restrictive than prevailing international standards | Photo Credit: SAMPATH KUMAR GP

India’s airline industry has formally raised objections to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s (DGCA)’s latest draft regulations on cabin crew fatigue management norms.

In a letter dated January 12, 2026, addressed to the DGCA, the Federation of Indian Airlines (FAI) which represents major carriers including Air India, IndiGo and SpiceJet, stated that the proposed framework could create structural constraints across the sector.

Businessline has reviewed the FIA letter which cautioned that the proposed framework could lead to operational instability.

Notably, the federation described the draft rules as more restrictive than prevailing international standards. 

According to the FIA, the proposed norms lack the required flexibility to address diverse operational models followed by Indian carriers.

On the issue of scheduling, the FIA has urged the regulator to adopt ‘Flight Duty Period’ which is defined as the total duration a crew member remains on duty as the primary metric for assessing fatigue, instead of daily flight time caps. 

Besides, the federation has raised objections to the proposed expansion of the “night window” between 00:00 and 06:00 hours, along with a restriction limiting crew to two landings during this period. 

As per the federation, these measures would disrupt established crew pairings and result in additional duty days.

Furthermore, the draft provision which mandates single-room accommodation for cabin crew during layovers has emerged as another area of disagreement. 

FIA has termed the requirement as operationally impractical, citing limited hotel inventory. Nevertheless, it maintained that twin-sharing arrangements allow quicker assistance in the event of medical emergencies.

Additionally, the federation stated that the cumulative impact of the proposed provisions would lead to increased duty fragmentation and a higher number of nights spent away from home base. 

It added that the changes could reduce airlines’ ability to recover from disruptions arising from adverse weather conditions or technical issues.

The industry’s representation comes after a period of operational disruptions in late 2025 due to the implementing of the new pilot fatigue regulations. 

Accordingly, the Federation of Indian Airlines has sought a phased or staggered implementation of the proposed cabin crew rules.

Published on February 12, 2026