Iran war: DGCA allows Air India pilots to fly more as alternate routes to west make flights longer

NEW DELHI: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has allowed Air India wide body pilots to fly for longer hours through a temporary flight duty time limitation (FDTL) relaxation due to the much longer routes the airline is forced to take on its flights between India and Europe, UK and North America amid the Iran war.

Under the 1.5 hours’ extended flying time, pilots can now fly for upto 11.5 hours.Pilots allege on some quick return flights to the Gulf (which all flights are these days), the flying time goes beyond 11.5 hours like the flights going to and returning from Jeddah has exceeded this at least once. While upset at the serious fatigue-inducing extra flying being required of them, AI pilots say they are doing so due to the special requirements amid the war.

This is back-breaking flying time, specially on the Boeing 787 Dreamliner where the flight deck seats recline less due to technical reasons. Still understanding the situation, pilots say: “AI and DGCA should not make this a regular practice. Fatigue has a direct bearing om safety. War broke out on Feb 28, FDTL dispensations have been given freely to airlines for the asking. This is the same thing continuing, just the reason is different and genuine for once.

”Understanding pilots' anxiety and thanking them for their “professionalism”, AI senior VP (flight operations) Captain Manish Uppal wrote to pilots late last week: “…the evolving security situation across parts of the Middle East has resulted in temporary airspace closures and routing restrictions, which continue to impact several of our short haul, long‑haul and ultra‑long‑haul operations…. Based on continuous risk assessments, regulatory advisories, and NOTAM activity, certain (airspaces) in the Middle East region remain unavailable or restricted.

To ensure safety remains paramount, our scheduled and additional recovery flights are being rerouted via safe alternate corridors. Our ultra-long-haul routes are being routed through technical stops (for fuel and crew rest) at Rome on select sectors.”“Recognising the unavoidable increase in block times due to rerouting, we have formally sought and coordinated Flight Time (FT) and Flight Duty Period (FDP) exemptions with the DGCA.

These exemptions are intended to be used only till the current Middle East airspace restrictions are in effect and are critical for maintaining schedule integrity and minimise passenger inconvenience while remaining within a safe and regulated framework.

All such exemptions are supported by safety risk assessments and will be applied strictly in accordance with approved conditions,” Captain Uppal’s mail to pilots says.He adds to mitigate the increased crew requirement and reduce the use of exemptions, it will be expediting the line release of Boeing 777 pilot-in-command PICs who have converted to B 787 and PIC wide body upgrades on B 787 and Airbus 350 are being planned starting last week of this month.