Aviation Body Allows Limited Exemption For Air India's Long-Haul 787 Flights

The aviation watchdog has granted Air India a limited exemption permitting select long-haul Boeing 787 flights to exceed standard flight and duty time limits only when the flight time and duty period increase after departure due to unforeseen operational factors.

The order allows Air India's two-member cockpit crew to operate up to 10 hours and 30 minutes of flight time and 14 hours of Flight Duty Period (FDP) under specific conditions. The exemption applies between October 26, 2025, and March 31, 2026, covering the airline's winter schedule.

Flights Covered Under the Exemption:

• 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)
• Ahmedabad–London (AI 135), effective October 26 also operating Ahmedabad–London Gatwick

Strict Conditions Attached

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has clarified that this relaxation is not to be used for flight planning in advance for routes where the flight time is expected to exceed 10 hours 30 minutes or the FDP is expected to exceed 13 hours. It is to be applied only if these limits are crossed after the flight has departed, typically due to weather diversions, congestion, or unforeseen air traffic delays.

Additional stipulations include:

•  The exemption applies solely to the above-listed flights.
•  No training flights are permitted under this relaxation.
•  Crews must receive an additional one hour of rest beyond the minimum required at the layover station for long-range operations.

Valid Till March 2026

The approval remains valid from October 26, 2025, to March 31, 2026, unless withdrawn earlier by the DGCA. Officials emphasized that all other terms and conditions of Air India's existing flight operation approval remain unchanged.

This would provide Air India limited flexibility for specific international routes on its Boeing 787 fleet during the winter schedule, ensuring operational continuity while maintaining regulatory oversight and crew safety norms.