In response to the ongoing court battle between pilots’ associations and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) regarding duty hours, the DGCA told the Bombay High Court that whether to adopt the new rules of 2007 or to revert to older regulations of 1992 was a matter of ‘policy decision’ and, therefore, it could not be questioned in the court. The High Court had asked the DGCA to file a reply within a week against allegations that the authority had suspended newer scientifically charted regulations of 2007 in favour of older regulations of 1992 under pressure from private airlines which wish to reduce operational costs due to rise in fuel prices.These sets of rules, which pertain to duty hours of pilots, serve as guidelines regarding pilot’s working hours and have been scientifically researched by experts for the DGCA. According to the petitioners, which include pilots’ unions from Air India, Indian and Jet Airways, reverting to old rules of 1992 would mean longer duty hours for pilots and could result in pilot fatigue that can risk lives of hundreds of passengers present on airplanes. However, Solicitor General Ghulam Vahanvati disproved of the pilots’ charges and said that in going back to the older rules of 1992, no law has been broken.
