The Airline Pilots’ Association of India, or ALPA India, on Wednesday wrote to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) raising concerns over flight safety, crew fatigue, and insurance coverage amid the conflict in West Asia, and sought urgent clarity on a range of operational issues. A smoke plume near the Dubai International Airport. (AFP)
In a letter to the regulator, the ALPA India said that while it appreciates DGCA’s efforts in managing aviation operations during a challenging geopolitical situation, several issues continue to cause concern among flight crew.
It flagged key issues like the extension of Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL), particularly for Boeing 787 operations, where flights are being operated with two pilots for extended durations. “We are receiving a lot of member complaints about operations extending to 11 hours and 30 minutes with only two pilots, as this introduces an unacceptable level of fatigue risk. In addition to immediate operational safety concerns, repeated exposure to such extended duty periods may also have longer-term health implications for the flight crew. We empathetically request your understanding of their perspective and roll back this measure immediately, as there seems to be no timeline in sight for the resolution of the war situation,” ALPA India wrote.
It sought reassurance on risk mitigation measures in place for flights operating in and around conflict-affected regions. The ALPA India requested the DGCA to affirm that necessary protocols are being followed to minimise risks to civil aviation operations.
The association raised concerns over war risk insurance, urging the regulator to ensure that airlines provide explicit confirmation that crew and passengers are adequately covered, especially in light of standard exclusions in insurance policies during conflict situations. “Such confirmation would alleviate anxieties among crew and their families,” said ALPA India.