‘Increased Duty Hours, No Seat Recline’: Pilots’ Body Flags Safety Concerns Over Boeing 787 Rules

Last Updated:October 26, 2025, 23:57 IST

ALPA urges DGCA to withdraw extended FDTL for Boeing 787, citing safety risks.

The Airline Pilots’ Association of India (APAI) has raised serious safety concerns with the DGCA regarding the extension of Flight Duty Time Limits (FDTL) for Boeing 787 two-man crews. (File)

The Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA) on Sunday urged the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to withdraw its recent extension of Flight Duty Time Limits (FDTL) for Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft operations, citing serious safety risks.

In a letter addressed to the aviation watchdog, the pilots’ body said that the decision to extend the already stretched Flight Duty Time Limit (FDTL) for Boeing 787 Dreamliners creates a “scenario ripe for fatigue-induced errors".

For the Boeing 787, two-man flight crew operations, the Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) has been increased to 10:30 hours from 10 hours, and the Flight Duty Period (FDP) to 14 hours from 13 hours.

FDP is the time duration for which a flight crew member is on duty for operating an aircraft and ends when a plane comes to rest at the end of a flight.

The letter to the DGCA also highlighted the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Airworthiness Directive (AD), FAA-2024-0218, which has restricted the seat recline function of the flight’s captain on the Boeing 787 owing to safety concerns.

In the letter, ALPA further said the whole idea of formulating a Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) on FDTL was based on extensive research and scientific study on human fatigue and its operational consequences.

“The present deviation gives the impression that the DGCA is placing greater consideration on operator convenience and commercials rather than prioritising the core objective of flight safety," it said, adding that the move is a matter of grave operational and safety concern.

According to the pilots’ body, there is a US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) directive that restricts reclination of the captain’s seat recline function on the Boeing 787 due to safety concerns. It said that the inability to recline the seat has reduced the effectiveness of in-flight rest, particularly during long sectors.

“Extending duty hours instead of mandating an augmented crew, particularly so soon after a recent fatal accident, raises serious questions about the prioritisation of flight safety over operational costs and convenience," it said.

Apart from seeking withdrawal of the decision, ALPA India has asked the regulator to mandate augmented crew (three-man operations) for all flights exceeding eight hours or operating through the WOCL, until the corrective seat modification is implemented and the FAA AD is superseded.

It also demanded the DGCA to undertake a comprehensive fatigue risk assessment in consultation with flight crew representatives before approving any further deviation from established limits.

It further raised concerns on the DGCA placing greater consideration on the convenience of flight operators and commercial airlines rather than prioritising flight safety.

India witnessed one of its worst aviation tragedies on June 12 after a London-bound Air India plane, carrying 242 passengers and crew, including former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, crashed into a medical college complex shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. 275 people lost their lives including 120 men, 124 women, and 16 children.

“Operating long routes with restricted rest capability, compounded by adverse weather and night operations, creates a scenario ripe for fatigue-induced errors," the letter said.

(With inputs from PTI)

Shobhit Gupta

Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben...Read More

Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India and geopolitics. He earned his BA Journalism (Hons) degree from Ben...

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