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Pilot deaths spark safety concerns: ALPA India flags fatigue risks, FDTL delays to DGCA
The recent deaths of two commercial pilots within 48 hours have triggered serious safety concerns in India’s aviation sector, with the Air Line Pilots Association India (ALPA India) writing to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) over pilot fatigue, regulatory delays, and transparency gaps.
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In its letter to the DGCA, ALPA India highlighted fatigue as a critical safety concern |Image source: ALPA India|
Reported By: Ambarish Pandey
Written By: ZeeBiz WebTeam
Updated: Fri, May 01, 2026
04:18 PM IST
04:18 PM IST
New Delhi, ZeeBiz WebDesk
The recent deaths of two commercial pilots within 48 hours have triggered serious safety concerns in India’s aviation sector, with the Airline Pilots Association India (ALPA India) writing to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) over pilot fatigue, regulatory delays, and transparency gaps.
An Air India pilot died in Bali on April 29 during a crew layover which followed the death of an Akasa Air pilot in Bengaluru on April 30. The aviation community expressed concern about health risks because both pilots who died were under 45 years of age which created suspicion about how their workload and fatigue levels might have affected their health.
In its letter to the DGCA, ALPA India highlighted fatigue as a critical safety concern and questioned the continued delay in implementing the revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) framework, which is aimed at regulating pilot working hours and ensuring adequate rest.
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FDTL delays, regulatory ‘variations’ under scrutiny
The pilots’ body said that repeated 'variations' granted to airlines—originally meant as temporary relaxations—have diluted the intent of FDTL norms. According to ALPA India, these exemptions have effectively become standard practice, allowing airlines to operate close to maximum duty limits without sufficient safety buffers.
The association has urged the regulator to create an explicit schedule which shows when the current relaxations will end and when FDTL regulations will be fully enforced across all operators.
The organisation requested that the original rules be restored which prohibited workers from using their regular time off to replace mandatory weekly rest periods because shorter rest times result in a cycle of fatigue that disrupts sleep patterns and causes long term health problems.
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Concerns over fatigue reporting and transparency
ALPA India raised concerns about pilot fatigue report handling because RTI data showed that airlines accept such reports at a low rate. The report warned that any system which dissuades personnel from reporting fatigue will impact aviation safety because it leads to decreased effectiveness of risk management protocols.
To address this, the body has recommended:
- Mandatory quarterly fatigue reports from airlines in a standardised format
- Public disclosure of these reports on the DGCA website
- Regulatory audits of fatigue data, including acceptance rates and corrective actions
“Transparency in this domain is essential. Fatigue reporting metrics should serve as a meaningful indicator of operational safety and enable informed oversight by all stakeholders, including the travelling public,” the letter stated.
Call for disclosure of safety and medical data
The association also flagged the non-disclosure of key safety information, including the pending inquiry report into a December 2025 IndiGo disruption. It urged the DGCA to release such findings in the interest of accountability.
Additionally, ALPA India called for periodic publication of pilot medical fitness data, including cases of Permanent Medical Unfitness (PMU) and Temporary Medical Unfitness (TMU), along with trends linked to scheduling practices.
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Wider structural issues highlighted
The letter pointed to broader concerns in the aviation ecosystem, including the impact of consecutive night duties on pilot health and the imbalance between costly cadet pilot programmes and limited employment opportunities for trained pilots.
It cautioned against any move to dilute existing FDTL norms, stating that the framework was finalised after due consultation and should not be weakened without robust safety data.
Key demands
ALPA India’s key recommendations to the DGCA include:
- A time-bound roadmap for full FDTL implementation
- Gradual withdrawal of all regulatory variations
- Restoration of meaningful weekly rest provisions
- Transparent and accountable fatigue reporting systems
- Public disclosure of investigation reports and medical data
- Rejection of any proposals that weaken fatigue regulations
The pilots’ body emphasised that recent fatalities and rising health concerns underscore the urgent need for stronger oversight, warning that operational or commercial pressures must not override safety.
“The safety of human life must remain paramount and non-negotiable in all aviation operations,” the letter concluded.
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