Directorate General of Civil Aviation, DGCA has asked all airlines to formulate duty time limitations for pilots and cabin crew. According to the DGCA latest airworthiness circular, all airline operators have been asked to frame a proper policy for duty time limitations and giving them adequate rest period like pilots and cabin crew.

Recommending a maximum of eight hours duty with breaks keeping in view logistic and other constraints, the regulator has made it clear that no scheduled shift should exceed 12 hours.

Observing that the maintenance personnel should get adequate rest between two shifts, the sources said the risk became more prominent when night shifts were in tandem.

Wherever work allocations involved multiple aircraft or engines in a shift, the circular said due consideration should be given to the complexity or criticality of the task and quantum of work.