Global pilots raise alarm over India's decision to relax rest rules for IndiGo

Global pilot groups have voiced strong concerns after India temporarily relaxed strict pilot rest regulations for IndiGo, saying the move could compromise aviation safety by worsening pilot fatigue.

IndiGo — which accounts for roughly 65% of India’s domestic air traffic — struggled to meet a 1 November deadline to enforce tougher limits on night flying and mandatory weekly rest. The airline admitted that poor planning led to widespread disruption, including more than 2,000 flight cancellations this month. Tens of thousands of passengers were left stranded, many missing holidays and weddings, while complaints over lost luggage mounted.

Following the chaos, India’s aviation regulator granted IndiGo a one-time exemption from the new night-duty rules and also reversed a policy that prevented airlines from counting pilot leave as part of weekly rest.

Captain Ron Hay, president of the International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Associations (IFALPA), criticised the decision, saying it lacked scientific justification.

“We’ve been told the rule change is linked to staffing shortages,” Hay said in an interview with Reuters. “That is worrying, because fatigue has a clear and proven impact on flight safety.”

He added that easing rest rules could worsen workforce problems, noting that difficult working conditions are already a major reason pilots leave Indian airlines.

India’s civil aviation ministry has not yet commented on the issue.

Call for stronger global fatigue standards

Hay’s remarks come as IFALPA campaigns for a more consistent worldwide standard to curb pilot fatigue, noting that national regulators still differ widely in how they set duty-time limits. While Europe and the United States have some of the strictest systems for ensuring adequate rest, rules elsewhere remain less robust.

Other pilot associations are raising similar alarms. In Canada, the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) has criticised proposals to relax existing duty-time regulations. One suggested exemption would let pilots work up to 23 consecutive days, eliminating the requirement for one day off per week.

ALPA Canada President Captain Tim Perry said such a change would significantly increase fatigue and pose risks to aviation safety.

Transport Canada has not yet responded to questions about the proposed exemptions.