Air India gets temporary relief on pilot duty limits amid Iran airspace restrictions

The DGCA has granted temporary relaxation in pilot duty norms for Air India’s long-haul flights as the airline takes longer routes to avoid restricted airspace over Iran and Iraq. The changes allow extended flying time and reduced crew requirements until April 30

New Delhi: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has allowed temporary relaxations in flight duty norms to Air India for long-haul flights to Europe, USA, and Canada as the airline has been forced to take longer routes due to airspace restrictions on account of the Iran war which has adversely impacted operations and the movement of passengers, according to sources.

With airspace restrictions over Iran and Iraq due to war, the Tata Group airline has been taking a detour via Egypt for its flights to western countries, leading to longer flying hours and higher fuel burn.

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According to sources, the civil aviation regulator has, after examining Air India’s request, granted some easing in pilot Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms until April 30.

The DGCA has permitted the airline to operate long-haul flights with two pilots and extended the Flight Time (FT) by 1.30 hours to 11.30 hours and the Flight Duty Period (FDP) by 1.45 hours to 11.45 hours.

The exemption also includes relief from the 30-minute roster planning buffer requirement.

Flight Time refers to the total duration from the moment an aircraft first moves for the purpose of take-off until it finally comes to rest at the end of the flight.

The Flight Duty Period begins when a flight crew member reports for duty and ends when the aircraft engines are switched off after the final flight.

It was not immediately clear whether low-cost carrier IndiGo has also received similar exemptions for its long-haul services.

The escalating war between the US-Israel alliance against Iran, which broke out on February 28, has resulted in airspace restrictions in the Middle East, as a result of which several airlines have reduced services.

The Tata Group-owned airline had requested permission to operate certain long-haul flights with a two-pilot crew instead of the standard three, along with an extension in maximum flying time.

The airline firm had sought a one-hour and three-minute increase in permissible flying time, which would raise the limit from 10 hours to about 11–11.5 hours.

Restricted airspace in parts of the region — along with continued closure of Pakistan airspace for Indian carriers — has forced airlines to take longer detours over the Arabian Sea, Central Asia, and parts of Africa.

These diversions significantly increase flight times, raising fuel consumption and putting additional pressure on crew duty limits.

For Air India, avoiding the skies of Iran and Iraq has added substantial block time to several long-haul routes, with the airline cancelling multiple flights this week due to operational constraints.