The Hindu Editorial Analysis
8 December 2025
A Black Friday for Aviation Safety in India
(Source – The Hindu, International Edition – Page No. – 8)
Topic : GS Paper III – Infrastructure (Aviation), Governance, Safety Regulations
Context
The editorial strongly criticizes the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for compromising aviation safety by suspending the Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) rules to prioritize commercial operations after the IndiGo pilots’ strike (December 2025).
This move, termed a “black Friday,” represents bureaucratic negligence and regulatory capture by private airline interests — undermining both pilot welfare and passenger safety.
1. Background — Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL)
- The FDTL Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) defines how long pilots and cabin crew can fly or remain on duty to prevent fatigue-induced accidents.
- Fatigue is globally recognized as a major human factor risk in aviation safety.
- India’s DGCA had revised FDTL in 2022 after ICAO audits highlighted non-compliance.
However, the recent DGCA order (Dec 5, 2025) placed FDTL rules “under abeyance” to stabilize flight operations amid pilot protests, effectively prioritizing profits over lives.
2. Dilution of Safety Norms — Historical Pattern
- In 2007, a similar CAR aimed to regulate crew rest periods was suspended after airline lobbying.
- Airlines consistently pressured the Ministry to relax rest standards citing “crew shortage” and “operational convenience.”
- The Bombay High Court (2024) had already ruled that fatigue management and safety of pilots cannot be compromised for commercial gains — yet the same court’s recent stance seemed lenient, revealing judicial inconsistency.
3. Regulatory Failure and Lack of Accountability
- The DGCA and MoCA repeatedly favoured private airline demands despite multiple global warnings.
- ICAO (2006 & 2015 audits) urged India to establish an independent civil aviation authority, free from government or corporate influence — yet the proposal has been ignored.
- The editorial points out “regulatory capture”, where DGCA acts as a puppet serving airline lobbies rather than enforcing safety compliance.
4. The Indigo Crisis and Policy Mismanagement
- IndiGo, India’s largest airline, ignored impending crew scheduling regulations effective Nov 1, 2025, causing massive flight cancellations in early December.
- DGCA and MoCA, fully aware of the timeline, failed to enforce compliance or plan contingencies.
- Thousands of passengers were stranded; refunds issued did not cover indirect expenses — exposing the absence of consumer protection in aviation governance.
5. The Cost of Ignoring Safety
- The author reminds that India has suffered three major air disasters since 2000 (Mangalore, Kozhikode, Ahmedabad).
- Investigations showed crew fatigue, miscommunication, and regulatory lapses as recurrent causes.
- Suspending FDTL rules today repeats the same mistakes that led to those tragedies.
6. The Larger Issue — Governance and Rule of Law
- India’s aviation regulatory culture reflects a pattern of bending laws for business convenience.
- Such administrative overreach not only violates international safety conventions but also damages India’s credibility before ICAO.
- The editorial calls for:
- Establishment of an Independent Aviation Safety Authority under an autonomous statute.
- Judicial monitoring of DGCA’s actions.
- Mandatory public disclosure of safety audit reports and compliance data.
Conclusion
“No civilized aviation system dilutes safety to suit commerce.”
Captain Ranganathan concludes that the DGCA’s suspension of FDTL norms marks a regulatory collapse that puts both passengers and pilots at risk.
He warns that without systemic reform, India risks further fatal accidents and international censure. Aviation safety cannot be subordinated to profit or political expediency; it must remain the non-negotiable cornerstone of governance.