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IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet have criticised the new cabin crew rest norms as “more restrictive”. The FIA recommends focusing on flight duty period instead of flight time for managing crew fatigue and emphasises the importance of quality rest accommodations.
IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet have called the proposed cabin crew rest norms "more restrictive" than international standards and give limited operational flexibility for the airlines, according to a report by PTI.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) released its draft Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) on Cabin Crew Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) in October 2025.
The Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA), representing IndiGo, Air India, and SpiceJet, has provided several recommendations to the aviation regulator. It highlighted the need for “globally-harmonised, evidence-based and operationally practical provisions”.
Focus on duty period
A key point of the grouping is that the flight duty period, instead of flight time, should be the main measure used to manage cabin crew fatigue daily.
"Duty and rest limits may focus on Flight Duty Period and minimum rest periods, avoiding right cumulative caps or direct linkage to the number of landings," the report quoted FIA statement in a letter dated 12 January.
Typically, a flight duty period begins when a cabin crew member is instructed by an operator to report for duty or to start work, and ends when they are free of any duties.
Flight time generally refers to the duration of a flight.
Additionally, FIA stated that duty and rest limits should concentrate on the flight duty period and minimum rest periods, avoiding cumulative caps or direct links to the number of landings.
"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," the report quoted the letter.
Accommodation standards for crew
Regarding the proposed norms for rooms for the cabin crew, FIA stated that accommodation standards should emphasise rest quality, with twin-sharing allowed under operator-defined guidelines.
The three airlines have highlighted that international frameworks acknowledge that effective fatigue recovery depends on sufficient rest opportunities and circadian alignment (local night), rather than the physical location where rest occurs, the report said.
Meanwhile, the revised FDTL norms for pilots are still not fully implemented, despite legal battles, and non-compliance with the new provisions was also one of the reasons behind the significant operational disruptions at IndiGo in early December 2025.
Indigo crisis
Indigo, a leading player in India's aviation industry, has cancelled over 5,000 flights in December caused reportedly due to a severe crew shortage caused by its failure to implement new regulations for pilots.
The airline blamed “a multitude of unforeseen operational challenges,” including minor tech glitches, winter schedule changes, congestion, and weather, for the chaos.
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