Court questions DGCA's pilot rest swap rule
The Delhi High Court is questioning why India's aviation regulator, DGCA, now lets airlines swap pilots' weekly rest for regular leave.
Announced in December 2025, this change has people worried about tired pilots and possible safety risks.
DGCA says it's just trying to help airlines deal with schedule disruptions.
Court wants to know why pilots can't combine rest, leave
The court wants DGCA and IndiGo to explain why pilots can't combine rest days with leave—and why this rule should stick around for all airlines.
While DGCA insists weekly rest is still essential (saying weekly rest "has remained in operation" and referencing an audit in November last year undertaken to check preparedness for implementing the FDTL norms that reported leaves were being clubbed with weekly rest), IndiGo got a temporary break from night flying rules until February 10.
The big focus: making sure pilots get enough downtime to keep flights safe.