<p>After coming out with rules to ensure medical fitness of airline cabin crew, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) now wants to ensure enough rest for them by introducing time limit for their duty.</p>.<p><br />The aviation regulator has come out with the draft Civil Aviation Regulation (CAR) to establish regulations specifying the limits applicable to flight time, flight duty period and rest periods for cabin crew. Stakeholders have been asked to submit their suggestions by August 2.<br /><br />Acknowledging that cabin crew have a different working pattern than flight crew, they are required to work longer hours. They are first responders in-flight, who are trained to handle smoke and fire incidents, as well as, medical emergencies including cardio pulmonary resuscitation.<br /><br />According to the draft regulations, cabin crew members should make “best use of facilities and opportunities” that are provided for rest and for the consumption of meals and should “plan and use” rest periods to ensure that they are fully rested.</p>.<p><br />No operator can “assign” and no cabin crewmember should “accept” any duty to exceed 210 hours in any 28 consecutive days, spread as evenly as “practicable” throughout this duty period. In further break-up, the draft said, the duty hours should not exceed 125 hours in 14 consecutive days and 70 duty hours in any seven consecutive days.<br /><br />“In case it is not possible then a rest period of 48-hour period including two local nights shall be given in a fortnight at home base,” the draft said.</p>
<p>After coming out with rules to ensure medical fitness of airline cabin crew, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) now wants to ensure enough rest for them by introducing time limit for their duty.</p>.<p><br />The aviation regulator has come out with the draft Civil Aviation Regulation (CAR) to establish regulations specifying the limits applicable to flight time, flight duty period and rest periods for cabin crew. Stakeholders have been asked to submit their suggestions by August 2.<br /><br />Acknowledging that cabin crew have a different working pattern than flight crew, they are required to work longer hours. They are first responders in-flight, who are trained to handle smoke and fire incidents, as well as, medical emergencies including cardio pulmonary resuscitation.<br /><br />According to the draft regulations, cabin crew members should make “best use of facilities and opportunities” that are provided for rest and for the consumption of meals and should “plan and use” rest periods to ensure that they are fully rested.</p>.<p><br />No operator can “assign” and no cabin crewmember should “accept” any duty to exceed 210 hours in any 28 consecutive days, spread as evenly as “practicable” throughout this duty period. In further break-up, the draft said, the duty hours should not exceed 125 hours in 14 consecutive days and 70 duty hours in any seven consecutive days.<br /><br />“In case it is not possible then a rest period of 48-hour period including two local nights shall be given in a fortnight at home base,” the draft said.</p>
