The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has sought the immediate withdrawal of relaxations granted to airlines under the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules, questioning the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s (DGCA) decision to extend them until March 31, 2027. It has also flagged possible non-compliance with Delhi High Court directions on implementing the revised safety norms.In a letter to Civil Aviation Minister K. Rammohan Naidu, FIP president Captain C. S. Randhawa said the five-month extension risked prolonging arrangements intended to address temporary operational difficulties, rather than requiring airlines to make the necessary adjustments to crew strength and flight schedules.The federation has also sought a formal legal assessment of whether the extension falls within the DGCA’s powers and is consistent with the High Court’s orders. It said a contempt petition concerning the implementation of FDTL rules had been pending before the court since November 2025.The letter comes after the DGCA extended the existing dispensations, which were earlier due to expire on October 31, 2026, until March 31, 2027. FIP said it had repeatedly urged the regulator to withdraw the relaxations, along with the Indian Commercial Pilots Association, the Indian Pilots Guild and the Airline Pilots’ Association.Questioning the justification for the extension, FIP said the regulator should use airline-wise data to establish whether a genuine shortage of pilots warranted continued relaxation of the prescribed duty and rest limits.“There is no demonstrated industry-wide shortage of pilots that justifies the continued blanket relaxation of the prescribed FDTL requirements,” the federation maintained in the letter. It argued that claims of manpower shortages should be independently examined rather than accepted as grounds for extending the dispensations.FIP called on the Ministry to examine the minutes of the last two DGCA meetings on FDTL implementation, submissions made by pilot organisations and airline-wise manpower data considered before the extension was approved.The federation also sought a written safety-risk assessment covering cumulative pilot fatigue, rest opportunities and the effectiveness of airlines’ Fatigue Risk Management Systems (FRMS). It asked the DGCA to disclose the legal provisions under which the dispensations were granted and extended.FIP argued that airlines must adjust their schedules, recruit and deploy adequate crew, and maintain sufficient reserve strength to comply with mandatory duty and rest requirements. Commercial considerations, it said, could not take precedence over flight safety.The revised FDTL framework has been the subject of proceedings before the Delhi High Court, which issued orders concerning its implementation in January, February and April 2025. FIP said the Ministry must examine whether the latest extension is consistent with the court’s directions and the commitments recorded during those proceedings.The federation stopped short of declaring the extension unlawful but said its legal basis and compatibility with the court’s orders required urgent scrutiny.Seeking the minister’s intervention, FIP urged the government to direct the DGCA to review and withdraw the relaxations, strengthen roster audits and enforcement, and consult pilot organisations before taking further decisions on FDTL implementation.