Days after several safety lapses were pointed out by the aviation regulator, Indian carriers have claimed they were complying with all safety regulations for their flight operations.
Days after several safety lapses were pointed out by the aviation regulator, Indian carriers today claimed they were complying with all safety regulations for their flight operations.
While Kingfisher Airlines submitted its response to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) yesterday, Jet Airways, JetLite, Air India Express and some other carriers said they had also responded to the safety issues raised by the regulator.
A financial surveillance carried out by DGCA found widespread sickness in the sector, saying it was seriously impacting safety of flight operations. It recommended action against the airlines under the Aircraft Rules and Civil Aviation Requirements (CARs).
The audit suggested withdrawal of Kingfisher's flying permit and slashing of operations of AI Express, even as it criticised other carriers like IndiGo, SpiceJet, Jet Airways, GoAir, Alliance Air and JetLite on issues like non-reporting of incidents, lack of pilots, proper and regular training, absence of qualified safety officials and non-compliance of safety audits.
DGCA has also held a meeting with the safety chiefs of almost all non-scheduled operators who fly aircharters on Friday and asked them to abide by all safety norms, official sources said.
Defending their safety performance, IndiGo chief Aditya Ghosh said the regulatory investigation would not hit its expansion plans. IndiGo, which placed orders for 100 Airbus A-320 planes in 2005 and another 150 last year, is inducting an average of one aircraft each month. In December 2011, it had a fleet of 48 planes which would go up to 60 this year-end.
In a statement, Jet Airways and its subsidiary JetLite said they too have submitted 'Action Taken Reports' in line with industry practice.
"As such Jet Airways and JetLite are in compliance with all regulatory requirements to ensure safe operation," an airline spokesperson said, adding that both were certified by IATA's International Operational Safety Audit, a globally recognised evaluation system to assess the operational management and control systems of an airline.
Official sources said AI Express has also responded to the issues raised by the DGCA safety audit.
The DGCA would hold a meeting with all airlines on Friday. The regulator, on getting responses from these carriers, would carry out a safety review under the Safety Evaluation Assessment Tool (SEAT) which has 150 parameters.
Now on, the DGCA would also constantly monitor the airlines to keep a track on whether they continue to maintain high standards and practices to ensure fool-proof safety of flight operations, the sources said.
The audit found a long list of discrepancies and violations by all airlines as DGCA took a serious view of non-compliance or flouting of safety rules by the carriers and decided to take urgent action to rectify the situation.
Reminding the airlines not to take "short-cuts" on safety issues, DGCA chief E K Bharat Bhushan recently warned them of stringent action if they did not come out with a "specific and realistic" time-table to meet all safety requirements.
The DGCA can, as a final step, cancel their flying permit. It can also curtail their flight schedules or ask them to fly fewer aircraft which they can properly maintain.
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