DGCA Grants Limited Flight Time Extension for Air India's Boeing 787 Long-Haul International Routes

The aviation regulatory authority has granted Air India a restricted exemption allowing certain long-distance Boeing 787 flights to exceed standard flight and duty time limitations, but only when flight time and duty periods increase after departure due to unexpected operational circumstances.

The directive permits Air India's two-person cockpit crew to operate for up to 10 hours and 30 minutes of flight time and 14 hours of Flight Duty Period (FDP) under particular conditions. This exemption is effective from October 26, 2025, through March 31, 2026, covering the airline's winter operational schedule.

Routes included in this exemption are: Delhi–Copenhagen (AI 157), Delhi–Milan (AI 137), Delhi–San Francisco (AI 179), Delhi–Frankfurt (AI 2029), Delhi–London (AI 152), London Gatwick–Amritsar (AI 170), Birmingham–Amritsar (AI 118), Delhi–Zurich (AI 151), and Ahmedabad–London (AI 135), which will operate as Ahmedabad–London Gatwick from October 26.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has emphasized that this relaxation cannot be used for advance flight planning on routes where flight time is anticipated to exceed 10 hours 30 minutes or where the FDP is expected to surpass 13 hours. The exemption applies exclusively when these limits are exceeded after departure, typically due to weather-related diversions, air traffic congestion, or unexpected delays.

Additional requirements specify that this exemption applies only to the listed flights, prohibits training flights under this relaxation, and mandates that crews receive an extra hour of rest beyond the minimum required at layover stations for long-range operations.

The approval remains valid through the specified period unless revoked earlier by the DGCA. Officials have confirmed that all other terms and conditions of Air India's existing flight operation approval remain unchanged.

This exemption provides Air India limited operational flexibility for specific international routes using its Boeing 787 fleet during the winter schedule, ensuring service continuity while maintaining regulatory compliance and crew safety standards.