Fatigue risk management rules challenge LCC cost reductions as safety issues are constantly reviewed

Low-cost airlines have increasingly scheduled back-of-the-clock flights departing late at night or early in the morning, but regulators are now placing greater emphasis on new issues in pilot fatigue risk management. That in turn is seeing some airlines lose operational advantages and incur a higher cost base, even if arguably justified on safety grounds.

New regulations from India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) are impacting Air India's LCC subsidiary, Air India Express. Previously the DGCA's duty limitations did not differentiate between when duty time was occurring, but now the country's pilots will be limited to seven-hour duty times instead of nine hours if the duty is for back-of-the-clock flights (officially the window of circadian low, occurring between 02:00 and 06:00). The ruling is applicable for domestic and regional flights.