India – The Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA India) has publicly rejected remarks by IndiGo Managing Director attributing India's pilot shortage to revised Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL), instead identifying three structural issues as the underlying constraints on pilot workforce supply: high cost of cadet training and type ratings (₹60 lakh to ₹1.25 crore, approximately $72,000-$150,000 USD), alleged anti-competitive hiring practices among airlines, and wage-related employment practices limiting pilot mobility. The pilots' body has called for the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MoCA) and the Competition Commission of India (CCI) to expedite investigations.

ALPA India rejects the assertion that revised FDTL regulations are responsible for India's pilot shortage, arguing that weakening or delaying fatigue management reforms would not resolve workforce challenges.
The association identifies three structural issues affecting pilot availability:
- Cadet program pricing: airline-backed cadet program's require aspiring pilots to spend ₹60 lakh to ₹1.25 crore (approximately $72,000-$150,000 USD) on training, significantly higher than international type-rating program's that, according to them, typically cost around ₹20 lakh (approximately $24,000 USD).
- Alleged anti-competitive hiring practices between airlines discouraging experienced pilots from moving between carriers, limiting labour market competition.
- Wage-related employment practices at certain carriers suppressing recruitment and retention despite growing demand.
The association has called for the Competition Commission of India to investigate anti-competitive employment practices affecting labour mobility.
Cadet employment agreements: ALPA India alleges that many cadets are bound by long-term employment agreements without corresponding job security guarantees.
India's revised FDTL regulations were introduced by the DGCA to strengthen pilot fatigue management, including improved crew rest requirements, regulated night operations, and reduced fatigue-related safety risks.
Neither the Ministry of Civil Aviation nor the Competition Commission of India had publicly responded to ALPA India's appeal at the time of publication.

Source: ALPA India

Asian Pilots' Association Publicly Contests Airline CEO 2026 Claim on Fatigue Rules and Pilot Shortage

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