New Delhi: The Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA) has written to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) expressing serious concerns over the recent extension of the Flight Duty Time Limit (FDTL) for two-pilot Boeing 787 Dreamliner operations.

In its letter, the association said the regulator appeared to prioritise the convenience of airlines over flight safety, calling the move a “matter of grave operational and safety concern.” The DGCA recently extended the flight time limit from 10 hours to 10 hours and 30 minutes, and the Flight Duty Period (FDP) from 13 hours to 14 hours.

ALPA warned that the revised norms could heighten fatigue risks and lead to “fatigue-induced errors.” FDP refers to the total time a flight crew is on duty, from reporting for a flight to when the aircraft comes to a stop at its destination.

The letter also referred to the US Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Airworthiness Directive (AD 2024-0218), which restricted the recline function of the captain’s seat on Boeing 787 aircraft due to safety reasons. ALPA said the restriction had “a direct and severe impact” on in-flight rest quality, especially on long-haul flights.

According to the association, airlines worldwide have mitigated the issue by assigning additional operating crew. However, it noted that the DGCA had taken the opposite approach by extending FDTL limits for two-pilot operations.

“The existing 10-hour limit is already at the upper threshold of safe fatigue management,” the pilots said, adding that there was no pilot shortage in India to justify the change.

The letter stressed that the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) on Flight Duty Time Limitations was based on scientific studies of human fatigue and aligned with International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) guidelines. ALPA urged the DGCA to review the decision, warning that safety should not be compromised for operational convenience.