New Delhi, Dec. 5 -- New Delhi,

Mumbai :

India's civil aviation regulator withdrew its instruction on Friday that prohibited airlines from substituting pilots' leave-casual, sick, or earned-with weekly rest, easing pressure on duty rosters.

This effectively means that if a pilot takes a day off or a 24-hour leave, the airline can adjust it against their weekly rest requirement.

Simply put, airlines do not have to differentiate between leave and weekly rest when rostering pilots and flight crew. Therefore, a pilot granted earned leave for 48 hours, for example, will now be considered as having also had a "weekly" rest.

The move offers partial relief to all airlines, particularly IndiGo, which is grappling with one of its most severe o...