Date:26/05/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/05/26/stories/2006052610280400.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Plan to increase flying hours limit for pilots opposed

Staff Reporter

It could spell disaster, warns Air Passengers Association of India

CHENNAI: The Air Passengers Association of India on Thursday expressed concern over the safety implications of an increase in the annual flying hours limit for pilots.

A proposal to increase the limit from 1,000 hours to 1,200 hours was under the consideration of the Directorate-General of Civil Aviation. It could spell disaster, Association president D. Sudhakara Reddy said.

Take-offs and landing during monsoon called for more alertness. A majority of the pilots of a leading private airline had reached the annual limit in terms of flying hours, he said.

Onus on safety

Underscoring the significance of paying greater importance to safety, Mr. Reddy said on the one hand, the Directorate was planning to increase the limit, while, on the other, it was reducing the eligibility norms in terms of flying hours for co-pilots and commanders by half.

With the increase in the number of airlines, more and more passengers were seeking the Association's help to redress their grievances. Following the Association's intervention, SpiceJet, since April 1, had withdrawn a fee of Rs. 500 for wheelchair.

Noting that low-cost carriers were levying such charges, Mr. Reddy said GoAir was not charging and the Association "wants to push Air Deccan to stop charging."

An irritant

Unexplained, unscheduled landings on international sectors were proving to be an irritant for those flying abroad.

The Association had urged all airlines to provide a single point of contact for the passengers to voice their grievance and get them redressed.