Helicopter operators serving Uttarakhand’s Char Dham routes have suspended charter services until November 16, 2026, following their opposition to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s (DGCA) directive mandating two pilots on every sortie. The operators have described the requirement as financially unviable under the existing commercial structure and called for a review in consultation with industry stakeholders.
The DGCA introduced the twin-pilot requirement following a helicopter crash near Badrinath on October 30, which claimed six lives, including those of the pilot and five passengers. In response to the accident, the regulator directed operators on the Char Dham routes to deploy two pilots per flight from November 2 as part of efforts to strengthen aviation safety.
In a collective representation submitted to DGCA chief Vir Vikram Yadav on October 31, operators raised concerns over the additional financial and operational burden. They stated that deploying two pilots on every charter sortie would increase operating costs, crew requirements, accommodation expenses, logistical arrangements and overall operational commitments.
The operators argued that the additional expenditure could not be absorbed within prevailing charter rates and limited operating margins. They also expressed concerns that transferring the entire cost increase to passengers would not be commercially feasible. While acknowledging the regulator’s responsibility to ensure flight safety, they said any additional measures should be practical, proportionate, commercially sustainable and developed through consultation with operating stakeholders.
The operators maintained that they had consistently complied with applicable DGCA regulations and invested in maintaining safe and reliable helicopter services in the challenging Himalayan terrain. They said continuing operations under the proposed framework would result in unsustainable financial and operational commitments, leaving them with no commercially viable alternative but to suspend services until the issue was reviewed and a mutually workable solution reached.
The operators have urged the DGCA and the Uttarakhand Civil Aviation Development Authority (UCADA) to reconsider the mandate, hold urgent consultations and explore an alternative framework that addresses safety requirements while ensuring the commercial sustainability of helicopter operations. The suspension of services until November 16 is expected to remain in place pending discussions and a resolution with the authorities. Operators have reiterated their commitment to aviation safety, regulatory compliance and the continued development of helicopter services in Uttarakhand.