The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has decided to end all dispensations given to airlines mostly exemption on the maximum time pilots and cabin crew can fly on long flights as per a TOI report.

While this facility helped carriers save loads of money earlier, it came at the cost of passenger safety. The aviation regulator's chief Bharat Bhushan decided to end this practice after an Indian carrier approached the DGCA to be allowed to operate aircraft on the India-London route with only a commander and a co-pilot instead of two sets.

Their logic: Two other Indian carriers that fly this route do so with one set of pilots. "Under the flight duty time limitation (FDTL) norms, a flight of this duration (almost nine to 10 hours) has to be operated with two sets of pilots, that is two commanders and two co-pilots," sources said.

Instead of acceding to the airline's request, Bhushan decided to review all such dispensations given to airlines, as they potentially affect flight safety. The idea of FDTL norms, which are set to be revised this month, is to have pilots and crew operate for only as long as they can without fatigue and to respond adequately to an emergency situation.

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