Tuesday, 05 November 2024
Tuesday, 05 November 2024
India's aviation watchdog, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has made a series of announcements on Thursday, regarding safety and compliance issues within the country's aviation sector. From show cause notices to fines and enhanced surveillance, these decisions highlight the regulator’s firm stance on maintaining standards. Here is a detailed look at the DGCA's actions.
Issues show cause notice to Akasa Air for violations
The DGCA on Thursday issued a show cause notice to Akasa Air for "several regulatory breaches identified during a recent review." According to a release from the DGCA, a spot audit and scrutiny revealed that the airline had completed practical training sessions without the required regulatory approvals."This has raised significant concerns regarding the adequacy of training standards and operational readiness," the DGCA stated. The airline has been asked to respond to the notice within seven days. The aviation regulator stressed that it will take "all necessary action to enforce regulatory compliance."
Places SpiceJet under enhanced surveillance; to increase spot checks
Crisis-hit SpiceJet has been placed under enhanced surveillance by the DGCA. In a release on Thursday, the aviation watchdog said that the move comes after a special audit of the airline's engineering facilities conducted on August 7 and 8. The audit revealed certain deficiencies, prompting the regulator to increase the number of spot checks and night surveillance."In light of the past record and the special audit carried out in August 2024, SpiceJet has once again been placed under enhanced surveillance with immediate effect," the DGCA said. The measures are aimed at ensuring the safety of the airline's operations amidst its ongoing financial challenges.
Slaps Rs 10 lakh fine on Air India Express
Content:A penalty of Rs 10 lakh has been imposed on Air India Express by the DGCA for not compensating passengers for cancelled flights. The penalty follows an inspection conducted as part of the Annual Surveillance Programme (ASP) 2024 of scheduled domestic operators in June."During the surveillance inspection of the airline, it was observed that Air India Express was not complying with the provisions of CAR Section-3, Series M, Part IV," the DGCA said in its release. After issuing a show cause notice, the airline's response indicated that it had not fulfilled its obligations to compensate passengers affected by flight cancellations. Consequently, the DGCA imposed the Rs 10 lakh fine.
Suspends approval for flying training organisation Alchemist Aviation
The DGCA has suspended the approval of Alchemist Aviation, a flying training organisation based at Jamshedpur's Sonari airport in Jharkhand. The suspension follows a fatal accident on August 20, involving a trainee aircraft that resulted in the deaths of an instructor and a trainee pilot.In the wake of the accident, the DGCA conducted a special safety audit on August 23 and 24, which revealed "several serious deficiencies and non-compliances of regulatory provisions," according to the regulator’s release. The suspension of Alchemist Aviation’s approval will remain in effect until the organisation undergoes a de novo rectification process to ensure compliance with all regulatory requirements.
