Air India has received temporary operational relief from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) regarding pilot flight duty time limitations (FDTL) for certain international services. The decision was taken after long-haul flights were forced to take longer alternative routes due to airspace restrictions over Iran and Iraq amid the ongoing conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran.
According to sources, the relaxation will remain in effect until April 30 and is intended to help airlines manage scheduling challenges created by extended flight paths. Because several Middle Eastern air corridors have become restricted, many international flights now have to avoid those areas and follow longer routes, which increases both flight time and crew duty hours.
Under the temporary exemption granted by the aviation regulator, two-pilot operations will be allowed to operate with extended flight and duty limits. The maximum flight time (FT) permitted for such operations has been increased by one hour and thirty minutes, allowing a total of up to 11 hours and 30 minutes. Similarly, the allowable flight duty period (FDP) — which represents the total working period for flight crew — has been extended by one hour and forty-five minutes, bringing the limit to 14 hours and 45 minutes.
Air India is expected to communicate the specific details of these adjustments for individual flights through internal notices to its crew members. In order to maintain safety and prevent excessive fatigue, the airline will also provide an additional four-hour rest period for crew members beyond the minimum rest requirements prescribed under existing civil aviation regulations.
The airline had requested the exemptions after restrictions over Gulf airspace significantly disrupted normal flight routes. These restrictions have forced many long-haul flights, particularly those travelling eastward from India to Europe and North America, to follow longer and more complex paths. The temporary relaxation of duty limits is intended to help mitigate the operational difficulties created by these changes.
Neither Air India nor the DGCA issued an official statement commenting on the decision to temporarily relax the FDTL norms.
In aviation terminology, flight time refers to the entire duration beginning when an aircraft starts moving for takeoff and ending when it comes to a complete stop after landing. The flight duty period, on the other hand, begins when a crew member reports for duty before a flight and ends only after the aircraft engines are shut down following the final flight of that duty cycle.
It was not immediately clear whether other Indian carriers, such as IndiGo, had received similar exemptions for their long-haul international operations.
The operational adjustments come amid escalating tensions across the Middle East. Several Gulf countries reported fresh attacks on Sunday, a day after Iran issued warnings advising evacuation at three major ports in the United Arab Emirates. This marked the first instance in which Tehran appeared to threaten assets belonging to a neighbouring country rather than solely targeting US-linked facilities.
Iran accused the United States of using ports and logistical facilities in the UAE to launch attacks on Kharg Island, which serves as Iran’s primary oil export hub in the Persian Gulf. However, Iranian authorities did not present concrete evidence supporting the claim.
At the same time, the humanitarian situation in the region has continued to deteriorate. Israeli military strikes in Lebanon targeting groups linked to Iran have reportedly resulted in more than 800 deaths and forced approximately 850,000 people to flee their homes.
The broader conflict involving the United States, Israel and Iran began on February 28 and has led to extensive restrictions across Middle Eastern airspace. As a result, airlines around the world have had to adjust operations, cancel certain services or reroute flights to avoid the affected regions.
Air India has adopted alternative flight paths that pass through Oman, southern Saudi Arabia and Egypt in order to reach destinations in Europe and North America while avoiding restricted airspace. For some ultra-long-haul routes, the airline has also introduced technical stops in cities such as Rome to manage fuel requirements and ensure safe operations under the new routing conditions.
