Dgca

Airlines warn free seat mandate will raise fares, hurt affordability

We were not consulted before this order was passed, said the Federation of Indian Airlines (FIA)

DGCA asks airlines to avoid 9 airspaces, ensure backup plan amid Iran war

Amid escalating conflict in West Asia, aviation watchdog DGCA on Thursday asked airlines to avoid nine airspaces in the region and ensure robust contingency plans as part of safety risk assessments. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked airlines to avoid the airspaces of Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Qatar and United Arab Emirates (UAE), according to an advisory. Indian airlines can operate flights over Oman and Saudi Arabia airspaces subject to certain conditions, the regulator said. It told the airlines not to operate below FL 320 or 32,000 feet within the airspace of Saudi Arabia and Oman located south of the segments defined by following compulsory reporting points. About the nine airspaces, the DGCA asked airlines to "refrain from operating within the affected airspace...at all flight levels and altitudes". Any continued operations would be at the discretion of the operator based on their safety risk assessment, it added. "Operati

IndiGo pares gains, SpiceJet shares fall 1% as DGCA mandates 60% free seats

As of 10:44 AM, IndiGo share price was quoted at ₹4,349.80, up 1.45 per cent, and the SpiceJet share price was quoted at ₹13.10 per share, down 1.8 per cent.

60% seats on every flight to be free to choose: DGCA rolls out new norms

Under the new rule, airlines must allocate a minimum of 60 per cent of seats on each flight without any seat selection charges

Extended duty limits could threaten flight safety: Pilots' union to DGCA

Federation of Indian Pilots warns that DGCA's temporary relaxation in flight duty limits for Air India long haul flights could heighten fatigue risks and compromise safety

DGCA allows longer pilot duty hours for Air India amid West Asia crisis

Large chunks of the West Asian airspace have since remained closed for commercial flights

DGCA gives flight duty time relaxations to Air India amid West Asia war

Aviation safety watchdog DGCA has provided temporary relaxations in flight duty norms for Air India's long-haul flights as the airline is taking longer routes due to the airspace curbs amid the Middle East conflict, sources said on Sunday. With Iranian and Iraqi airspace restrictions, Air India is taking the Egypt route for European and North American flights, which means longer flying hours. Against this backdrop, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has given certain relaxations in pilot Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) norms till April 30, the sources told PTI. There were no comments from Air India and DGCA on the FDTL norm relaxations. Providing the relaxations for the long-haul flights operated with two pilots, the sources said, adding that DGCA has extended the Flight Time (FT) by 1.30 hours to 11.30 hours and the Flight Duty Period (FDP) by 1.45 hours to 11.45 hours. Sources say that Air India has been violating the relaxation by planning its Jeddah flight, .

DGCA plans stricter norms for foreign airlines operating in India

DGCA proposes stricter compliance rules for foreign airlines, including digital registration, stronger accountability for local representatives and passenger grievance reporting

'Safer environment, equal opportunities': DGCA on International Women's Day

Chief Flight Operations Inspector, Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Shweta Singh, said that they provide training to girls to maintain equilibrium between professional demands and personal life

Noida International Airport gets DGCA aerodrome licence ahead of launch

DGCA has granted an aerodrome licence to Noida International Airport, enabling it to advance its approvals process even as the project faces delays in terminal construction and operational readiness

DGCA asks airlines to avoid airspaces of 11 countries till March 2

Aviation watchdog DGCA on Saturday advised airlines to avoid airspaces of 11 countries, including Iran, Saudi Arabia, UAE, till March 2. The countries are Iran, Israel, Lebanon, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Oman, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait and Qatar. Many airspaces are already shut in the wake of the attacks on Iran by Israel and the US on Saturday. Indian airlines have suspended their services to the Middle East. The advisory has been issued in alignment with international safety standards and the European Union Aviation Safety Agency's Conflict Zone Information Bulletin (CZIB), the regulator said. The watchdog has asked airlines to refrain from operating within the 11 affected airspaces at all flight levels and altitudes. Carriers have been asked to closely monitor all updated Aeronautical Information Publications (AIPs) and Notice to Airmen (NOTAMs) issued by the affected countries and national authorities. "This advisory is effective immediately and remains valid until March 02, 202

DGCA rolls out 48-hour free cancellation window and stricter refund rules

DGCA has revamped airline ticketing rules, adding a 48-hour free cancellation window, capping fees, tightening refund timelines and introducing passenger-friendly provisions for emergencies

Flyers to get 48-hr free window to cancel, make changes to tickets: DGCA

The aviation regulator has revised ticket refund norms, allowing passengers to cancel or amend bookings within 48 hours without additional charges, subject to conditions

DGCA announces tighter rules for non-scheduled aircraft operators

Asserting that safety lapses cannot be simply blamed on pilots, aviation watchdog DGCA on Tuesday announced a raft of strict measures for non-scheduled operators, including intensive audits and a safety ranking mechanism, amid safety concerns raised in the wake of recent aircraft accidents. After a special audit found various lapses, the regulator has also grounded four planes of Non-Scheduled Operator VSR Ventures Pvt Ltd, whose aircraft crashed at Baramati, killing Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and four others on January 28. A day after a plane, operated by a non-scheduled operator (NSOP), crashed in Jharkhand, killing seven people onboard, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) held a meeting with all such operators on Tuesday. The meeting was held to "address a recent surge in aviation incidents and emphasised the critical need for an increased focus on safety across the sector", the regulator said in a statement. It also happened on a day when a Pawan

IndiGo crisis: How India's top airline avoided ₹100 cr fine, political heat

IndiGo came out of December's chaos with limited fines, leveraging market dominance, procedural delays, and strategic lobbying to navigate the crisis

IndiGo plans to hire over 1,000 pilots after December flight crisis

Hiring comes after over 5,000 flight cancellations in December 2025 due to new DGCA rest rules; airline increases crew strength, training and schedule buffers to avoid repeat disruptions

DGCA puts stricter breath analyser test norms in place for pilots

Aviation safety regulator DGCA has put in place stricter breath analyser test requirements for pilots, wherein those found repeatedly violating the norms could even face cancellation of their pilot license, according to a source. Under the revised norms, which came into effect from February 9, FATA (Foreign Aircrew Temporary Authorisation) of an expatriate pilot operating in India will be cancelled and not considered again if that cockpit crew tests positive for alcohol consumption during pre-flight breath analyser examination. Among other provisions, the license of a pilot who tests positive in a Breath Analyser (BA) test before operating a flight on three occasions will be cancelled, the source said. In September last year, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had proposed changes to the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) on the procedure for medical examination for crew members for alcohol consumption before and after operating a flight. "For confirmatory BA readings u

DGCA fines Air India ₹1 cr for flying plane without airworthiness permit

India's aviation regulator fines Air India $110,350 after an Airbus A320 operated eight flights without a valid airworthiness permit, citing safety compliance lapses

Indigo, A-I, SpiceJet say FDTL norms 'more restrictive' than global norms

The Federation of Indian Airlines, representing IndiGo, Air India and SpiceJet, has told the DGCA that the draft rules should focus on flight duty period instead of flight time

IndiGo now fully prepared to implement FDTL norms, informs DGCA

Airline tells DGCA it has put in place operational and rostering systems to comply with revised Flight Duty Time Limitation rules after one-time exemption ends