DGCA conducts spot checks on 48 SpiceJet aircraft; finds no major safety violation: Govt
The Hindu
SpiceJet planes were involved in at least eight technical malfunction incidents in the 18-day period starting June 19, following which the DGCA had on July 6 issued a show-cause notice to the airline
Aviation regulator DGCA conducted 53 spot checks on 48 SpiceJet aircraft between July 9 and July 13 but it did not find any major safety violations, Minister of State for Civil Aviation V.K. Singh said on Monday.
"However, as a safety measure, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ordered SpiceJet to use certain identified aircraft (10) for operations only after confirming to the regulator that all reported defects/malfunctions are rectified," Mr. Singh said in his written reply in Rajya Sabha.
SpiceJet planes were involved in at least eight technical malfunction incidents in the 18-day period starting June 19, following which the DGCA had on July 6 issued a show-cause notice to the airline, stating that "poor internal safety oversight" and "inadequate maintenance actions" have resulted in degradation of safety margins.
Just three days after issuing the notice, the regulator started conducting spot checks on SpiceJet planes, Mr. Singh stated. The spot checks were completed on July 13.
"A total of 53 spot checks were carried out on 48 aircraft which did not find any major significant finding or safety violation," he mentioned.
The DGCA's safety oversight process involves series of successive follow up steps which includes communication of observations or findings to the airlines for taking corrective action, review of corrective action taken by the airlines for taking a decision, and initiating enforcement action consisting of warning, suspension, cancellation or imposition of financial penalty to the person or the airline involved, he noted.
In its notice to SpiceJet on July 6, the regulator had said that the airline has failed to “establish safe, efficient and reliable air services” under the Aircraft Rules, 1937.
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K. Selvaperunthagai on Saturday, June 8, 2024, criticised BJP State president K. Annamalai for comparing the vote share of the Congress with the BJP in Tamil Nadu following the recently-held Lok Sabha elections. He said this was not a proper comparison, as the number of seats contested by both parties differed.