New rules requiring airlines to hire more staff deferred
07 Sep 2011
New Delhi: Airlines have received an extension of six months for the implementation of new rules framed by aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which necessitates the recruitment of larger number of pilots and other staff to adequately sustain current fleet operations.
New rules restrict the duty timings of pilots and cabin crew members which compels carriers to have a larger strength of staff than earlier. These rules were to become enforceable in June, but with the fresh extension of old rules will now become mandatory only from February 2012.
With India's domestic airline passenger market crossing the 52 million mark, and with expected continued growth, airlines have been increasing fleet size and services. However, staff strength has not grown proportionately as carriers attempt to save on costs forcing staff to overwork and compromise on safety.
The new rules framed by the DGCA are controversial with pilot associations writing to it asking for a review and the implementation of internationally acceptable norms.
Civil aviation safety experts say some of the new rules are loaded in favour of airline owners and do not take the rest periods based on pilot fatigue. They say a set of guidelines issued in 2007 was much better. The 2007 guidelines were withdrawn, however, in the face of protests from airline owners.
With increasing expenditure because of larger hiring airline owners say the new rules will result in curbing growth.
