An online petition opposing aviation regulator DGCA's proposed norms for pilots has been initiated, saying such "regressive" measures seem to have been conceived by "vested interests" and are a threat to flight safety.
"The threat of severe penal action, including a direct threat to our livelihoods for abiding with the law is nothing but illegal, ill conceived and a direct threat to flight safety," the petition initiated by an Air India pilot said.
According to the petition, the proposed norms if implemented, would force pilots to operate flights even when they are (genuinely) sick.
"The regulatory authority should understand that when a pilot reports 'sick', what in effect he conveys is that he is not in a position to exercise the privileges of his license. It should not be misconstrued as anything else," the petition, which has already received over 450 votes in support, said.
Against the backdrop of instances where pilots did not adhere to their assigned flight duties, DGCA has proposed strict enforcement action against pilots coming late for duty as well as falsely reporting sick.
A senior Civil Aviation Ministry official today said the proposed measures are to ensure that passengers are not put to inconvenience due to non-availability of pilots at the last minute.
As per the proposal, likely to be finalised by the second week of December, pilots who are found to falsely report illness to escape flight duty and those unwilling to follow the dynamic roster, among others, would be considered as acts against public interests liable for enforcement action.
As per DGCA, any act on the part of pilots wherein they are found to falsely report illness to escape flight duty, coming late to the aircraft, not undertaking the flight even after reporting for flight duty or unwilling to follow the dynamic roster well within the FDTL would face strict action.
FDTL refers to Flight and Duty Time Limitations.
The petition has also mentioned about the 'Germanwings' tragedy in 2015 when a pilot, who had psychological issues, allegedly deliberately crashed a plane killing more than 100 people.
"This proposed policy appears to have been conceived by vested interests keen on running flight schedules and thus promoting the profits of some unscrupulous private commercial airlines at the cost of public safety," it noted.
Seeking intervention of the Ministry, the petition said such "regressive" policies should be kept in abeyance so that the skies remain safe.
DGCA's proposals have been put up for public comments.
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