Why IndiGo pilots are seeking contempt action against DGCA
What's the story
The Indian Pilots Guild (IPG) and Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) have filed a plea in the Delhi High Court, seeking contempt proceedings against Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). The pilot unions are challenging DGCA's decision to grant exemptions from Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms. The FIP targets exemptions granted to IndiGo, while IPG's concerns include exemptions granted to multiple airlines, including Air India. They allege these relaxations go beyond what was mutually agreed upon by all stakeholders.
Crisis claims
Pilot unions allege operational crisis at IndiGo
The pilot unions also claimed that the recent operational crisis at IndiGo, which resulted in mass flight cancellations due to an alleged shortage of pilots, was a result of the airline's own actions and not external constraints. A bench of the Delhi HC has agreed to hear this plea and issued a notice to the DGCA Director General seeking a detailed response.
Regulatory response
DGCA defends its decision in court
In its defense, the DGCA told the court that it has the statutory power to grant limited exemptions under certain conditions. The regulator clarified that the exemption given to IndiGo was "not given happily" and is being reviewed every 15 days. It also said that this relaxation is valid only till February and IndiGo is being pushed to comply with FDTL norms before the deadline.
Legal challenge
IPG challenges DGCA's compliance with court undertakings
The IPG, a union of Air India pilots on wide-bodied aircraft, has challenged DGCA in court. The union alleges that DGCA has not complied with undertakings given to the court in February and April. In its petition, the IPG claims that despite its undertaking, without seeking permission from the court or consulting pilot bodies again, it was granting exemptions from implementing norms set to come into effect on November 1.
Safety concerns
IPG accuses DGCA of jeopardizing flight safety
The IPG's petition also accused DGCA of approving airline-specific FDTL schemes that are inconsistent with the framework it had submitted to the court in its affidavit. "The FDTL CAR was meant to address fatigue management of the flying crew; however, the DGCA, by granting variations, exemptions and relaxations to the airlines, have defied the undertaking and directions of this Hon'ble court and also jeopardizes flight and passenger safety," read their petition.