Pilot Fatalities, Fatigue Concerns: Federation Of Indian Pilots Seeks Urgent Safety Overhaul, Withdrawal Of FDTL Waivers

The Federation of Indian Pilots (FIP) has called for an urgent overhaul of safety measures and the withdrawal of duty-time waivers for airlines, following a series of sudden pilot deaths. The federation highlighted six reported deaths of Indian commercial pilots between late 2023 and September 2026, with four occurring in 2024. The latest incident involved an Air India pilot suffering a fatal heart attack at a New Delhi hotel.

FIP President Capt. CS Randhawa urged aviation regulators to enforce flight duty time limitations (FDTL) strictly and establish a science-based fatigue risk management system (FRMS) across Indian operations. The federation pointed out a concerning trend of recurring deaths among young, medically certified flight crew, citing cumulative fatigue, circadian disruption, and operational stress as potential risks.

The union also expressed concerns over operator-specific dispensations granted to airlines, allowing them to bypass full implementation of updated Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) governing flight duty and rest limits. The FIP cited the January 2024 incident of Batik Air s Airbus A320 pilots falling asleep for 28 minutes, causing the aircraft to drift off course, as an example of the dangers of sleep-deprived crews.

The federation demanded a national FRMS oversight programme, mandatory quarterly audits, and protection for pilots reporting fatigue to avoid disciplinary action or career repercussions.