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Cabin crew duty and rest periods fixed, flight duration now up to 12.5 hours; DGCA releases new draft
DGCA Rules: The DGCA has issued new draft guidelines regarding duty and rest periods for cabin crew. These rules now strictly define the maximum flight duration, landing limits, and rest periods.
The DGCA, which is the regulator of civil aviation safety, has come up with new draft rules for duty hours and rest for cabin crew. These draft regulations are meant to further enhance air safety and prevent crew fatigue while conducting flight operations.
According to the draft, the maximum flight duty period has been fixed at 11 hours, during which six landings will be permitted. For flight durations of 11.30 hours, a maximum of five landings will be permitted, and for flights of up to 12 hours, a maximum of four landings will be permitted. For flights of 12.30 hours, a maximum of three landings will be permitted.
The DGCA stated that the maximum flight time should not exceed eight hours. For cabin crew flying a nine-hour flight, their maximum duty period will be 14 hours with a maximum of two landings. For a 10-hour flight and a 15-hour duty period, only one landing will be permitted. The draft also clarifies that the duty period begins when cabin crew are asked to report and ends when they are relieved of all responsibilities.
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According to the new rest period provisions, crew members will be given at least the same amount of rest as their previous duty period before a flight. 12 hours will be mandatory for crossing three time zones, 18 hours for crossing up to seven time zones, and 36 hours for crossing more than seven time zones. The DGCA stated that the maximum duty time in any 24 hours should not exceed the permitted flight duty period by more than one hour.
According to aviation experts, these new regulations will improve both air travel safety and the mental and physical health of cabin crew. This step is seen as crucial in bringing India's aviation sector in line with international safety standards.
