An Air India Express pilot suffered a fatal cardiac arrest in New Delhi on April 9 after completing a flight from Srinagar to Delhi. The incident occurred shortly after the aircraft landed at Indira Gandhi International Airport.

According to the airline, the pilot felt unwell after the flight landed in Delhi and was rushed to a nearby hospital where doctors declared him dead, according to a report in The Hindu.

Colleagues and airline staff later revealed that the pilot, identified as Armaan, had vomited inside the cockpit following the landing. He later suffered a cardiac arrest at the airline's dispatch office at the airport.

“We deeply regret the loss of a valued colleague due to a medical condition. Our thoughts are with the family during this time of profound grief. We are extending all possible assistance to them as we all cope with this tremendous loss. We request all concerned to respect privacy at this time and avoid unnecessary speculation while we commit to assisting the relevant authorities in due process,” said an Air India Express spokesperson.

Industry impact

DGCA has postponed the implementation of new pilot rest rules, initially set to take effect in June last year. The updated flight duty time limitation (FDTL) norms aimed to boost weekly rest from 36 to 48 hours and cap night flying to ten hours, down from 13, to combat pilot fatigue.

Airlines, citing the need to hire 20–25% more pilots, requested more time—around 8 to 10 months—for compliance. Despite earlier insisting on the deadline, the DGCA has now allowed carriers to continue with the 2019 rules until their revised plans are approved.

Officials said the delay will allow for further review of the new regulations.