Kolkata: The Airline Pilots’ Association of India (ALPA-India), which represents over 1,500 pilots across various carriers, has called for the immediate suspension of Indian commercial flights in the Gulf region, citing serious safety risks to passengers, crew and aircraft.In a letter to the civil aviation miniser and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), ALPA-India president Capt Sam Thomas said, “In our considered view, such decisions amount to wilful endangerment of human life.”He pointed to past conflicts where civilian aircraft were mistakenly shot down amid hostilities, including Iran Air Flight 655 by the US, Libyan Arab Airlines Flight 114 by Israel and Ukraine International Airlines Flight 752 by Iran.ALPA-India had flagged the issue with the DGCA on March 18. The regulator issued an urgent advisory the following day, asking airlines to conduct independent risk assessments — a move the association said raises serious concerns.“The International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) notes that states should promptly communicate conflict-zone risks, while operators may also conduct their own proprietary risk assessments; however, the safety environment in active conflict regions requires centralized, authoritative oversight and timely govt-led risk communication. Commercial airlines do not possess the requisite intelligence, surveillance capabilities, or geopolitical risk assessment infrastructure necessary to adequately evaluate threats in active conflict environments. Such assessments fall squarely within the domain of sovereign authorities and specialized agencies,” said Capt Thomas.He further warned that delegating risk assessment to individual operators could lead to inconsistencies in safety standards and expose flight crew and passengers to potentially catastrophic risks.Pilots have also sought clarity on the status and validity of insurance coverage while operating in high-risk zones.
