In May 2023, Air India introduced a safety management software named Coruson, alongside the Boeing Alertness Model (BAM), a fatigue-mitigation tool integrated into its pilot rostering system. Coruson, developed by the cloud software company Ideagen, centralizes, analyzes, and reports safety-related data, including incidents, hazards, and risk assessments. BAM, jointly developed by Boeing and Jeppesen, is designed to predict and manage pilot fatigue by analyzing flight schedules and performance data. These tools aim to prevent the creation of fatiguing rosters and pairings, as highlighted by Air India CEO Campbell Wilson in an internal message to employees.
The airline also unveiled two new digital tools for its crew: the Pilot Sector Report app, which assists pilots in submitting post-flight performance data, incidents, and observations; and DocuNet, a digital management system for storing, retrieving, and sharing documents, such as flight manuals, training records, and compliance documents.
Despite these advancements, Air India was fined by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in March for violating Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) and fatigue management rules. Additionally, in May, Air India Express cabin staff called in sick en masse to protest alleged mismanagement. This action followed similar protests from Vistara Airlines crew, both of which are owned by the Tata Group.
Twenty-five individuals who participated in the Air India Express sick-out were terminated, and others were given ultimatums. However, those terminated were later reinstated following intervention by the Chief Labour Commissioner. Prior to this resolution, the Regional Labour Commissioner of Delhi had criticized the Tata Group for perceived labor law violations and urged attention to the legitimate concerns of the cabin crew. Meanwhile, Vistara employees protested changes in salary structures, which they claimed resulted in significant pay cuts.
To address these concerns, management assured Vistara pilots that they would be compensated for “extra working hours” post the integration with Air India. However, pilots raised systemic issues related to burnout and insufficient rest periods, leading to increased fatigue and potential health risks.
Captain Singh, a former senior manager at AirAsia, commented on the significant increase in accident risk and adverse health effects due to the high demands placed on pilots. Practices like tail swaps and rapid flight sequences under the 13-hour rules contribute to pilot exhaustion.
A 2024 Safety Culture Survey conducted by Singh’s Safety Matters Foundation found that 81 percent of 530 respondents, primarily medium- to short-haul pilots, reported that bufferless rosters contribute to their fatigue. Additionally, 84 percent expressed concerns about shift rotation speed and direction. A private airline pilot noted that new rostering software optimizes every second of the pilots’ schedules, leaving no room for rest, which can be overwhelming during challenging conditions like bad weather.
While wrist-worn fatigue-measuring devices have been proposed as a solution, their implementation remains contentious, and there have been no updates from IndiGo regarding such technology. Neither IndiGo nor the Thales Group responded to requests for comment on this issue.