The Federation of Indian Pilots has urged the DGCA to withdraw airline duty-time exemptions and strengthen fatigue-risk monitoring after several reported pilot deaths. The FIP has sought stricter FDTL enforcement, a national science-based FRMS, quarterly airline audits and protection for pilots reporting fatigue.

The Federation of Indian Pilots has urged aviation regulators to strengthen fatigue monitoring and enforce flight duty and rest limits | AI Generated Representational Image

Mumbai, September 16, 2026: The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has urged the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to immediately withdraw duty-time exemptions granted to airlines and undertake a comprehensive review of pilot fatigue risks.

The union's letter follows a series of recent sudden crew deaths, including the latest incident of an Air India pilot who suffered a fatal heart attack in a New Delhi hotel.

FIP Seeks Stricter Fatigue Rules

FIP President Capt. CS Randhawa, on September 15, called on aviation regulators to strictly enforce flight duty time limitations (FDTL) and establish a science-based fatigue risk management system (FRMS) across Indian operations.

`;

Copies of the representation were also dispatched to the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the Prime Minister’s Office, and the Air Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).

The federation highlighted a concerning list of six publicly reported deaths of Indian commercial pilots occurring during operational duty, ground training or scheduled rest layovers between late 2023 and September 2026.

The oldest incident was that of November 2023, when a 37-year-old Air India pilot died at Delhi Airport Terminal-3 during Boeing 777 training activities due to a suspected cardiac arrest.

Four of these cases are from the current year, with three sudden deaths caused by heart attacks or cardiac arrest, including that of Air India's Capt. Sunny Asladekar, who was found dead in a Delhi hotel room on September 11, during Boeing 787 conversion training and layover.

Concerns Over Cumulative Fatigue

While the FIP explicitly stated that no direct causal link between fatigue and these individual deaths has been officially established by crash or medical investigators, it stressed that the recurring loss of young, medically certified flight crew points to a systemic risk surrounding cumulative fatigue, circadian disruption, and operational stress.

The pilot body raised serious objections to "operator-specific dispensations" granted by regulators to major airlines, allowing them to bypass full implementation of the updated Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) governing flight duty and rest limits.

The FIP noted that despite flight schedule reductions caused by external market disruptions, airlines continue to hold operational waivers rather than recruiting adequate staffing.

The union warned that temporary dispensations have degraded into prolonged practices, leaving crews vulnerable to severe fatigue once airline schedules normalise.

Indonesia Flight Incident Cited

The submission detailed the January 25, 2024 incident involving Batik Air's domestic flight BTK-6723 in Indonesia, in which both pilots of an Airbus A320 fell asleep simultaneously for approximately 28 minutes, causing the aircraft carrying 153 passengers to drift 80 nautical miles off course and lose all contact with Air Traffic Control.

Investigators found the First Officer was severely sleep-deprived from personal life stressors, proving that "rostered rest opportunity does not equal actual sleep obtained".

The FIP emphasised that India's rapid market growth, high aircraft utilisation, red-eye flights, and early-morning schedules demand proactive, data-driven fatigue management rather than relying solely on hours-based regulations.

Also Watch:

Union Calls For National FRMS

Apart from the immediate revocation of FDTL waivers, the union has demanded establishment of a DGCA-led national FRMS oversight programme comprising regulators, medical specialists, sleep scientists and pilot representative bodies.

It has also suggested enforcing mandatory quarterly audits on airlines’ review reports, launching a scientific review of pilot health trends from 2023 to 2026 and protecting reporting pilots from airline disciplinary action or career repercussions when declaring fatigue.

To get details on exclusive and budget-friendly property deals in Mumbai & surrounding regions, do visit: https://budgetproperties.in/

Add As a

Trusted Source