Air India to check veracity of flight crew's fatigue reports from Oct 1

Air India (A-I) has introduced a new internal policy, effective from October 1, under which it will verify the authenticity of fatigue reports submitted by its flight crew and reclassify them as "sick leave" if found to be "unsubstantiated", Business Standard has learnt.

The policy is part of a series of new measures being implemented ahead of A-I's merger with Vistara, aimed at "boosting efficiencies" within the airline, according to officials. However, pilots have voiced concerns over the new step.

"This policy needs to be reconsidered, rather than questioning whether a pilot is experiencing 'fatigue' or is 'sick'. The airline entrusts pilots with planes worth millions of dollars and it should extend this trust to other areas as well," one pilot said.

"We may hesitate to report 'fatigue' if it risks being classified as 'sick leave',” added another pilot.

Just five days ago, on Monday, Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu highlighted the need for "robust" stress and fatigue management systems, including for pilots, to ensure flight safety. Naidu was speaking at a seminar organised by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).

All companies grant a limited number of sick leaves (or medical leaves) to their employees. Under regulations issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), a fatigue report is a formal document filed by flight crew members (both pilots and cabin crew) to notify their airline of excessive tiredness that could affect their ability to perform duties safely.

In response to Business Standard's queries regarding the new policy, Air India spokesperson said: "Our new Fatigue Protocol is a positive step in preventing fatigue and is followed by leading airlines globally. It is compliant with the regulations and is non-punitive. We will continue to use scientific tools such as Jeppesen and Boeing Alertness Model (BAM) tool to protect our crew from potentially fatiguing rosters."

On Friday, Henry Donohoe, A-I’s senior vice president of Safety, Security, and Quality, approved and issued the airline's new “Crew Fatigue Risk Management Policy”. According to the policy, when a pilot or cabin crew member submits a fatigue report through the internal web system, it will be labelled as “Fatigue” in the portal. The report will then undergo review by the airline's senior executives.

“After review, in case of unsubstantiated reporting, ‘Fatigue’ will be replaced with 'Sick' on the crew portal," mentioned the policy.

"If a crew reports fatigue within 12 hours of their scheduled duty or reporting time (as applicable), they will be marked as 'Fatigue' in the crew portal. Immediate escalation of such cases shall be made by the DOPS (day-to-day scheduling management)/flight safety department for addressal to the department head and Fatigue Safety Action Group (FSAG)," the policy noted.

According to DGCA's flight duty time limitation (FDTL) regulations issued this January, fatigue reports must be effectively utilized to identify and mitigate crew fatigue. Each airline is required to establish a clear policy regarding these reports, specifying not only how to submit them but also how to respond to them. "Executive responsibility for addressing fatigue management shall be defined by the operator," the regulator mentioned.

The head of operations must submit quarterly fatigue reports, including an analysis and actions taken, to the DGCA. "Fatigue reports shall follow a non-punitive and confidentiality policy," it added.

The FDTL regulations, which give more resting time to pilots, have been welcomed by them. However, airlines have strongly opposed the regulations. Although the regulator initially set a June 1 deadline for airlines to implement the new rules, it reversed its decision in March after airlines expressed concerns about having to reduce approximately 15-20 per cent of flights to comply with the norms.

The January regulations have increased weekly rest periods for flight crew from 36 hours to 48 hours. Additionally, the definition of “night” in the FDTL regulations has been revised. Previously, “night” was defined as the time between midnight and 5 am; now, it encompasses the period from midnight to 6 am, providing flight crew with an extra hour of rest during the early morning.

Rule change

> Air India is implementing a new policy to verify the authenticity of flight crew fatigue reports starting October 1

> DGCA regulations require airlines to effectively utilise these reports to mitigate crew fatigue to boost safety

> Unsubstantiated fatigue reports may be reclassified as sick leave, raising concerns among pilots about potential repercussions

> New fatigue-related duty regulations have been a point of contention between the DGCA and airlines