The Government had, over the last few months, issued a clutch of rules ranging from a cap on how many hours a pilot can fly to a 60 per cent free seat selection rule, each of which has either been reversed or put in abeyance following strong opposition from the domestic airlines.

The DGCA had put passengers first when drawing up these norms, which was seen as a win for passenger rights at a time when the regulator was widely perceived as slow in implementing reforms that benefited them.

FDTL rules and safety concerns

Perhaps the most controversial decision was the implementation of the Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL). It is a set of rules that caps the number of hours a pilot can fly and work in a given period and mandates minimum rest time between duties........

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