Delhi HC questions DGCA over 'indefinite' pilot rest relaxation for IndiGo

The Delhi High Court on Friday took aim at the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) over what it called the “indefinite” relaxation granted to airlines on new pilot rest and leave norms, seeking clarity on why safety-critical rules were effectively shelved.

A bench of Chief Justice D.K. Upadhyaya and Justice Tejas Karia issued notice on a public interest litigation (PIL) and asked both the DGCA and IndiGo to file their responses within two weeks. The court probed the aviation regulator on the rationale behind immediately withdrawing the rule that “no leave shall be substituted by weekly rest.”

The issue dates back to December 5, 2025, when DGCA rolled out exemptions to the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules, allowing IndiGo to deploy more pilots and curb widespread disruptions. The airline had faced a December meltdown, canceling hundreds of flights nationwide in the first week of the month after failing to implement the stricter duty norms that came into force on November 1, 2025.


DGCA counsel told the court that the move to relax FDTL rules followed an audit and airline representations, noting pilots were clubbing weekly rest with leave days. She stressed that while weekly rest remains mandatory under civil aviation regulations, leave policies are contractual matters between pilots and airlines. A separate relaxation for night duty operations was granted to IndiGo until February 10, 2026.

The court questioned the logic of an indefinite withdrawal for weekly rest substitution while the night duty relief had a clear deadline. “If one letter sets a finite timeline and the other does not, why is it indefinite? This applies to all airlines,” the bench asked.

The petitioners—Sabari Roy Lenka, Aman Monga, and Kiran Singh—allege that the DGCA’s exemptions were unlawfully tailored for IndiGo, raising concerns of malafide intent. They argue that the regulator has failed to enforce uniform fatigue regulations as mandated by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), which require preventing unsafe rostering, ensuring adequate staffing, and suspending non-compliant schedules.

The court also recalled its earlier remarks that public safety concerns arising from pilot fatigue cannot be brushed aside. The matter is scheduled for the next hearing in April 2026. (With inputs from PTI)