Indian aviation watchdog defers new rules on pilots' rest, duty times

India's aviation watchdog has deferred a June 1 deadline for airlines to adopt new rules on rest and duty times for pilots, a notice on its website showed, but without stating a reason or a new target date.

Tuesday's news followed a warning from a key airline lobby group, reported last month by the Economic Times newspaper, that the scramble to meet the new rules could force cancellation of up to one-fifth of flights.

In January, the rules increased flight crews' weekly rest periods to 48 hours from 36 and cut pilots' night flight duty times to a maximum of 10 hours from 13.

Read the full article by REUTERS