Delhi High Court Issues Notice On Plea For Contempt Action Against DGCA, Centre Over FDTL Exemptions For Pilots

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued notice on a contempt petition against the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and Union Government for granting exemptions to airlines from implementing the Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) scheme.

Justice Amit Sharma sought response of the authorities on a plea filed by Indian Pilots Guild, a union of Air India pilots.

The matter will be heard in April, 2026.

A petition was filed by the union challenging the vires of Civil Aviation Requirement, Section 7 - Flight Crew Standards Training and Licensing, Series J, Part III issued in 2019, whereby the DGCA had “severely reduced” rest periods for the flight crew and pilots as prescribed by the CAR in 2011.

The pilots have now sought contempt action against the DGCA and Centre for wilful and deliberate non- compliance with judicial orders passed in February and April this year in their petition.

In February, the Court had noted that an affidavit filed by the authorities said that the Civil Aviation Requirements Section 7 Part III, 2024, shall be implemented by July 01, while the remaining 7 Clauses, will be rolled out or implemented on or before November 01.

Later, in April, it was recorded that the process of notifying the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) 2024 had already been set into motion and thus, a direction was issued to “Air India and any other airlines” to file their respective FDTL Scheme, if any, with DGCA within three weeks.

The pilots have now say that contrary to the affirmation made by the DGCA in its affidavit, and “without obtaining leave of the Court or re-engaging with the pilot bodies”, the authorities have granted extensions, relaxations and approvals of airline-specific FDTL Schemes that materially dilute and deviate from the court-accepted FDTL framework and timelines.

“By approving non- compliant FDTL Schemes and granting variations, exemptions and relaxations to the airlines, the actions of the Respondents in the implementation of the FDTL CAR constitute wilful

non- compliance of the directions of this Hon'ble Court issued vide orders dated 24.02.2025 and 07.04.2025 passed in the Writ Petition. Thus, the present contempt petition,” the plea says.

Title: INDIAN PILOTS GUILD v. FAIZ AHMED KIDWAI & ANR