Performance data row: Two airport staffers under scanner

A few weeks after IndiGo airlines submitted a letter to aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) alleging manipulation of on-time performance (OTP) by the Mumbai airport operator to favour certain competing airlines, an internal investigation into the matter is turning the spotlight on the involvement of at least two airport staffers.

In a letter to the DGCA, the Mumbai International Airport Limited (MIAL) has acknowledged wrongdoing on the part of two of its employees. The staffers have been identified as Sanjay Singh and Mohak Patwardhan.
The letter says it was revealed during the investigation that the check-on and check-off data of flights during November and December in 2016 contained discrepancies in the recording of data, which affected the OTP.

A DGCA official said they are seeking the OTP report data from all airport operators, including the private information held in Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru and Hyderabad.

In layman's terms, the on-time performance of an airline refers to how frequently its flights operate within the declared schedule time. The OTP, therefore, becomes an important marketing tool for airlines to attract passengers by assuring them that flights will reach the destination on time. IndiGo also approached DGCA, raising questions over the parameters by way of which OTP is measured. Rival airline SpiceJet, which has been topping the OTP chart in the last few months, has opposed IndiGo's move.