Chennai-Singapore Air India Express Flight Delayed by 11 Hours Due to Pilot Rest Break
A Chennai-Singapore Air India Express flight faced an 11-hour delay, reportedly due to the pilot taking a mandatory rest break after completing his previous duty. The Air India Express 688 flight, originally scheduled to depart for Singapore at 2:50 am on Friday, has now been rescheduled to leave at 1:55 pm.
While the official reason cited for the delay was "administrative reasons," sources indicate that the unavailability of the pilot was the primary cause. The pilot, who had operated the incoming flight from Singapore to Chennai on Thursday night, completed his duty hours and went off duty to comply with aviation safety regulations that mandate adequate rest periods for flight crew.
The delay affected 152 passengers booked on the flight. However, passengers were informed of the revised schedule in advance, allowing most of them to avoid arriving at the airport unnecessarily early.
The flight is now expected to operate later this afternoon with the same pilot resuming duty after his rest period.