India’s biggest airlines — IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet — have raised concerns over the new rest rules proposed for cabin crew by the aviation regulator. The airlines say the draft rules are “more restrictive” than global standards and do not give them enough flexibility to manage operations smoothly.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had released its draft Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) in October 2025. These rules place strict instructions on Cabin Crew Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL), which decide how long crew members can work and how much rest they must get.
Now, the major airlines have formally responded.
Indian airlines push back against DGCA’s new cabin crew rest rules
The Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), which represents IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet, has written to the DGCA with several recommendations. In a letter dated January 12, the group said there is a need for “globally-harmonised, evidence-based and operationally practical provisions.” In simple words, the airlines want India’s rules to match international standards and be practical for day-to-day operations.
One of their main arguments is about how crew fatigue should be measured and managed. The airlines believe that “flight duty period” should be the main factor in managing cabin crew fatigue, not total flight time.
Generally, a flight duty period begins when a cabin crew member is required to report for duty and ends when that person is free from all duties. On the other hand, flight time simply means the duration of the flight itself.
In its letter, FIA stated: “Duty and rest limits may focus on Flight Duty Period and minimum rest periods, avoiding right cumulative caps or direct linkage to number of landings.” The grouping has argued that linking limits directly to the number of landings or adding strict cumulative caps may not be the best way to handle fatigue.
DGCA rules ‘More Restrictive’ than global standards
The airlines have strongly worded their concerns. According to the letter, “The proposed CAR framework appears more restrictive compared to global standards, offering limited operational flexibility, and not adequately addressing all fatigue concerns with the nuance required for diverse types of operations.”
They believe the draft rules do not fully consider the different types of airline operations and may make scheduling more difficult.
The proposed norms also talk about rest facilities and accommodation for cabin crew. On this, FIA said that the focus should be on the quality of rest rather than strict room arrangements. The grouping suggested that twin-sharing rooms should be allowed under operator-defined guidelines.
The airlines also pointed out that global practices recognise that proper fatigue recovery depends more on getting adequate rest during the local night and aligning with natural body clocks, rather than just focusing on the physical location where rest happens.
Pilot rules still not fully implemented
This development comes at a time when revised FDTL norms for pilots are still not fully implemented. The pilot rules have faced legal challenges.
In fact, non-compliance with the changed provisions was one of the reasons behind the major operational disruptions at IndiGo in early December 2025.
With that experience still fresh, airlines appear cautious about introducing stricter rules for cabin crew without careful consideration.