The industry body representing airlines in the country has informed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) that its proposed rest and duty norms for cabin crew will “decrease productivity” of staff, hamper airline growth, and erode their competitiveness in the global market. In a letter dated February 12, 2026, a copy of which has been reviewed by The Hindu, Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA) has opposed several provisions proposed by the DGCA in a November notification on cabin crew rest and duty hours. The changes also align the rest and duty norms for cabin crew with those applicable to pilots since last year, including increasing weekly rest from 36 hours to 48 hours. A key demand from cabin crew that their weekly off should be scheduled at their home base so they can spend time with their families has also been opposed. The All India Cabin Crew Association filed a writ petition in 2018 seeking amendment to their rest and duty norms to make them more scientific and bring them on par with those for pilots.

Source: The Hindu February 13, 2026 05:42 UTC