The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has granted temporary relaxations in flight duty norms to Air India for long-haul flights, as airspace restrictions due to the Iran war force longer detours.
With Iranian and Iraqi airspace closed, Air India has rerouted flights to Europe, the USA, and Canada via Egypt, increasing flying hours and fuel consumption. To ease operational strain, DGCA extended pilot Flight Time (FT) to 11 hours 30 minutes and Flight Duty Period (FDP) to 11 hours 45 minutes. The regulator also allowed two-pilot operations on certain routes and removed the 30-minute roster buffer requirement.
Flight Time covers the duration from aircraft movement for take-off until it halts after landing, while FDP spans from crew reporting to engine shutdown. These relaxations remain valid until April 30.
Air India had requested permission to extend flying limits and reduce crew requirements, citing operational challenges. The airline cancelled multiple flights this week due to extended block times caused by detours over the Arabian Sea, Central Asia, and Africa.
The war, which began on February 28 between Iran and the US-Israel alliance, has triggered widespread airspace restrictions in the Middle East. Pakistan’s continued closure of its airspace for Indian carriers has compounded the problem, forcing longer routes and raising costs.
It remains unclear whether IndiGo or other carriers have received similar exemptions. For now, DGCA’s decision provides Air India with temporary relief to sustain long-haul operations amid geopolitical turmoil.
