Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has found all major domestic airlines to be flouting safety rules for cutting corners in a slow market. The DGCA, in its financial audit, has found that the market leader, Jet Airways, did not have trainers as required by DGCA norms. And of the total number of flights the airline cancelled, one-third was due to poor passenger load factor. Worse, its audit plan for safety in 2011 has not been fully complied with.
What's more, Jet's subsidiary, JetLite, is facing an acute shortage of pilots and cabin crew.
The DGCA report said the fleet induction plan of IndiGo, the fastest growing domestic carrier, needed to be reviewed. The airline suppressed information by not reporting incidents. The airline is also suffering from a shortage of training examiners and instructors.
The report said the low-cost carrier, SpiceJet, did not have any qualified instructor on their Boeing 737 fleet.
SpiceJet, however, said that it had 30 qualified instructors, while IndiGo said it had always complied with the regulator's instructions. Kingfisher Airlines, meanwhile, submitted a detailed response to DGCA on Monday.
Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh said he would not tolerate any violation of safety norms.
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.