Major Indian airlines, namely IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet, have pushed back against new cabin crew rest rules proposed by DGCA in October 2025. Through their representative body FIA, they claim that these rules are stricter than global standards and limit their operational flexibility. The airlines have submitted recommendations asking for more practical and globally-aligned provisions.The Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) emphasised that flight duty period, not flight time, should be the main factor in managing crew fatigue. In a letter dated January 12, they stated “The proposed CAR framework appears more restrictive compared to global standards, offering limited operational flexibility, and not adequately addressing all fatigue concerns with the nuance required for diverse types of operations.“The airlines want focus on flight duty periods – the time from when crew reports for duty until they’re free from all responsibilities – rather than just flight time. They suggest avoiding strict cumulative caps or linking rest directly to the number of landings.Regarding accommodation, the carriers believe rest quality should be the priority. They support twin-sharing arrangements under airline-defined guidelines. The airlines also point out that international standards focus on adequate rest opportunity and matching local night time rather than where crews rest.This discussion comes at a critical time, as the aviation sector is still grappling with implementing revised pilot duty time limits. These implementation challenges were partly responsible for IndiGo’s major flight disruptions in early December last year.The airlines have stressed that rest regulations should be evidence-based and practical while maintaining global harmony in standards. They want rules that balance operational needs with crew welfare without being overly restrictive.
