The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) on Friday called for the withdrawal of all dispensations and variations granted to airlines on pilots' duty and rest period norms, citing passenger safety concerns.
Representing around 5,000 pilots in the country, the FIP also urged the Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu to ensure a periodic review of pilot recruitment by airlines through the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
The DGCA had provided certain relaxations to domestic carriers, including IndiGo and Air India, under the new Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) framework.
These include allowances for more night landings and extended duty time for two-pilot operations on Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.
The new norms, aligned with global standards to enhance passenger safety, mandate more rest for cockpit crew, a move opposed by domestic airlines.
Pilots have previously alleged that relaxations and variations were granted to airlines to serve commercial interests at the expense of safety.
In its letter dated 19 December, the FIP stated, "Therefore, all dispensations/variations to all airlines may be withdrawn with immediate effect to avoid compromising with (passenger) safety".
The FIP further emphasized that future aircraft schedules and inductions must be planned based on the availability of pilots, cabin crew, ground staff, engineers, infrastructure, and parking slots.
"Without satisfying these conditions, no aircraft or schedule can be approved by the DGCA or the government," the letter said.