Plug air safety gaps: pilot body to DGCA

Acting on passenger safety concerns raised by Indian pilots, an international pilot body has asked India’s aviation watchdog to plug gaps in air safety and punish those found responsible for safety lapses.

Acting on passenger safety concerns raised by Indian pilots, an international pilot body has asked India’s aviation watchdog to plug gaps in air safety and punish those found responsible for safety lapses.

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The International Federation of Air Line Pilots’ Association (IFALPA), which represents more than a lakh pilots across the world, wrote to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) last week.

The letter from the IFALPA president, Captain Carlos Limon, cited a case where the Air India management issued a circular indefinitely increasing pilot duty timing last December without approval from the regulator. “Such incidents should not be taken lightly. The DGCA should investigate and punish those responsible,” read the letter.

The IFALPA intervened based on a complaint from its local affiliate Air Line Pilots' Association (ALPA), India, a body formed by more than 2,000 Indian pilots.

Despite repeated attempts DGCA chief Bharat Bhushan did not respond to HT’s calls.