Air India has secured temporary relief from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on pilot flight duty time limitations (FDTL) for certain international flights, following mandatory rerouting of long-haul flights due to airspace restrictions in the Middle East linked to the ongoing US-Israel-Iran war.
With Iranian and Iraqi airspace restrictions, sources confirmed that the relaxation, applicable until April 30, will allow two-pilot operations to extend flight hours and duty periods as follows: Flight Time (FT) may increase by 1 hour 30 minutes to a maximum of 11 hours 30 minutes, while Flight Duty Period (FDP) can extend by 1 hour 45 minutes to 14 hours 45 minutes.
Individual flight-specific details will be shared via internal notices. Crews will also receive an additional four-hour rest period beyond the minimum prescribed under the applicable CAR.
Air India had sought these exemptions after Gulf airspace curbs forced longer, indirect routes for several international services, complicating operational scheduling. The FDTL relief aims to mitigate the impact of current restrictions on eastbound flights.
However, there were no comments from Air India and DGCA on the FDTL norm relaxations.
Flight time (FT) covers the entire duration from when an aircraft begins moving for takeoff until it comes to a complete stop after landing. Flight duty period (FDP) begins when a crew member must report for duty and ends once the engines are shut down on their final flight of that duty period.
It was not immediately clear whether IndiGo was granted similar exemptions for its long-haul services.
The move came amid rising tensions in the Middle East. Gulf countries reported new attacks on Sunday, a day after Iran called for evacuations at three major UAE ports, marking the first time Tehran threatened non-US assets in a neighbouring nation.
Tehran accused the US of using UAE ports and facilities to strike Kharg Island, Iran’s main oil export hub, though no evidence was provided.
Meanwhile, Israeli strikes in Lebanon have worsened the humanitarian crisis, leaving more than 800 dead and displacing over 8,50,000 people.
The ongoing conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran, which began on February 28, has led to Middle East airspace restrictions, disrupting airline operations.
Several carriers have cut services, while Air India reroutes flights via Oman, southern Saudi Arabia, and Egypt to reach Europe and North America. Certain ultra-long-haul routes also include technical stops in Rome.