<h1>New airline licences and pilot duty-hour limits: aviation sector entry stays open, but FDTL compliance disrupts operations</h1> India's aviation sector remains open to new airline entry, with no stated legal restrictions on setting up carriers. The government has approved operating licences for three new airlines to commence services in 2026, enabling their market entry subject to applicable regulatory conditions. Separately, operational disruptions at an existing airline were attributed to pilot availability and compliance with Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) rules, indicating that crew scheduling and duty-hour limits can materially affect flight operations and service continuity.