Pilots' body moves Delhi HC with contempt plea on non-implementation of flight duty norms

New Delhi, Nov 18 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Tuesday asked the Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) to show willful disobedience and non-compliance of judicial order by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation for not fully implementing the new flight duty time limitation norms approved by the court earlier this year.

The court's query came after the counsel for FIP submitted that although aviation regulator DGCA had undertaken before the high court in April to implement the FDTL norms in a phased manner beginning from July 1 to November 1, it was not permitting several airlines including Air India and SpiceJet to deviate from the norms.

"I understand if there is an issue of unreasonableness or discrimination but today you are asking for this court to initiate contempt proceedings. I am again asking, where has there been willful disobedience or non-compliance? There was a direction. The court ultimately says, stick to the timelines," Justice Amit Sharma said.

The counsel for DGCA submitted that it has the power to grant exemptions and these were only for six months, subject to review.

The court granted time to FIP to place before it previous court orders and listed the matter on December 15.

The contempt plea was filed against the backdrop of the DGCA making certain relaxations in the FDTL framework, including allowing more night landings and duty time extension for two-pilot Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft operations.

The FIP has said the regulator has already started giving dispensations to various airlines, including Air India, and alleged that more importance is given to commercial interests than safety.

Earlier this year, DGCA, in its affidavit before the high court, said the new FDTL norms will be implemented in a phased manner. Of the 22 proposed clauses, 15 were implemented from July 1 and the remaining are to be effective from November 1.

The watchdog's revised CAR (Civil Aviation Requirement) 2024 related to the FDTL provides for more rest time for pilots amid concerns over pilot fatigue. Initially, the new norms were to come into force from June 1, 2024.

The court's decision followed pleas filed by Indian Commercial Pilots Association, Indian Pilots Guild and Federation of Indian Pilots relating to the regulator's revised FDTL norms. PTI SKV ZMN