Taking a harsh view of the relaxed attitude of Indian carriers towards customer experience and safety standards, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Thursday took regulatory action against three major airlines: SpiceJet, Akasa Air, and Air India Express.
The aviation safety regulator decided to place the cash-strapped SpiceJet under “enhanced surveillance,” which will involve intensified spot checks and night inspections to safeguard the airline’s operations after it observed “certain deficiencies” during a special audit earlier this month.
Additionally, the DGCA on Thursday slapped a Rs 10 lakh fine on Air India Express, a subsidiary of Air India, for failing to compensate passengers for cancelled flights. It also issued a show-cause notice to Akasa Air for conducting practical training sessions without the required regulatory approvals.
Six days ago, the DGCA had imposed a Rs 99 lakh fine on Air India and its two senior executives for operating a flight in July with unqualified pilots.
SpiceJet, which has been making losses for the last six years, has severely curtailed its flight network even as it looks to raise more cash to continue operations.
The DGCA on Thursday said that “based on reports of cancellation of flights” and “financial stress,” a special audit of SpiceJet’s engineering facilities was conducted on August 7 and 8, which revealed “certain deficiencies.” This is not the first time that the regulator has put SpiceJet under “enhanced surveillance.” In July last year, the regulator took a similar step when it was concerned about the “financial stress” of the airline.
On Thursday, the DGCA stated: “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. This would entail an increase in the number of spot checks/night surveillance with a view to ensure safety of operations.”
Regarding the fine on Air India Express, the DGCA said that it had carried out an inspection as per the Annual Surveillance Programme (ASP) 2024 of all scheduled domestic operators in June. This was to check if the airlines were following the norms pertaining to facilities and compensation, which must be provided to passengers under specific conditions.
In ASP 2024, the DGCA found that Air India Express did not comply with the regulations for providing compensation to passengers affected by the cancellation of flights. After it did not receive a satisfactory response from the airline on its show-cause notice, the regulator decided to impose a Rs 10 lakh fine on the airline on Thursday.
Regarding Akasa Air, the DGCA stated that a spot audit and scrutiny revealed that practical training sessions conducted by the airline were “completed and simulated” without the mandated requisite regulatory approvals. This has raised “significant concerns regarding the adequacy of training standards and operational readiness” of the airline, it added. Therefore, the regulator on Thursday issued a show-cause notice to the airline, asking it to submit its response within the next seven days.
First Published: Aug 29 2024 | 8:32 PM IST
