Court stays DGCA notice on pilots’ working hours

In a scathing order, a division Bench of Justice S B Mhase and Justice Ashutosh Kumbhakoni observed, “It is apparent that even larger public interest and safety of flights were literally thrown to the winds for protecting the financial and other interests of a few wealthy and hefty airline operators.”

The Joint Action Committee of Airline Pilots’ Association of India had moved court against the DGCA, alleging that the authority had suspended newer scientifically charted regulations of 2007 in favour of older regulations of 1992 under pressure from private airlines which wish to reduce operational costs in the wake of steep rise in ATF prices.

The DGCA on July 27, 2007, had revised the 1992 Civil Aviation Rules as the old rules would mean longer duty hours for pilots and could result in pilot fatigue that can risk lives of the hundreds of passengers. However, on May 29, 2008, they issued a circular whereby the new rules were put in abeyance and subsequently, on June 2, 2008, another circular was issued which reverted to the 1992 rules which was challenged by the pilots.