DGCA raps airlines on safety issues, says no short-cut
DGCA has rapped all the Indian air carriers over the issue of neglecting safety due to financial constraints and made it clear today no airline would be allowed to take a 'short-cut' on the safety front.
The country's civil aviation regulator while directing the airlines to sort out the safety issues in a time-bound manner however said after a meeting with officials of Kingfisher and Air India Express that there is no threat to close them down.
Recommending stringent action including cancellation of flying permit of Kingfisher and restriction of Air India Express operations, a financial surveillance report of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) found widespread sickness in the sector and asked all airlines to take immediate rectificatory measures to resolve the lapses.
Apart from cancellation of flying permits, the report also suggested steps like slashing of flights or asking the carriers to fly a lesser number of aircraft which they can properly maintain.
This was the first time that such a financial audit was carried out by DGCA. It was conducted following recommendations of the Civil Aviation Ministry's Safety Advisory Council.
Though Kingfisher Airlines and Air India's low budget carrier maintly faced the wrath of Civil Aviation regulator, other airlines too got a rap on safety count.
Top officials of these two carriers were summoned by DGCA today and asked to submit a plan by Monday on steps they would take to resolve safety issues in a time-bound manner.
"There is no cause for panic. The situation has certainly not come to that pass (where airlines' permits are withdrawn). There has been no threat to close down any airline," DGCA chief E.K. Bharat Bhushan told reporters when asked whether Kingfisher's permit would be withdrawn as recommended.
"All airlines are going through a critical patch. It is a challenge to see that their financial constraints do not hamper safety. It is our duty to ensure that nobody takes the short-cut on the safety front," he said.
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