Amid rising air safety concerns following a series of incidents, including the tragic June crash of an Air India flight that resulted in 270 fatalities, the country’s aviation safety regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), is defending the state of India's skies. Faiz Ahmed Kidwai, DGCA chief, stated that historically, and still today, India maintains a solid safety record in aviation.
Kidwai highlighted that through assessments like those from the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), India surpasses the global average in flight safety, with only isolated years marked by significant accidents. However, the recent turbulence experienced by a Delhi-Srinagar flight, alongside maintenance issues within airlines such as SpiceJet, has rekindled public concerns and scrutiny over aviation safety.
SpiceJet’s troubles came to light when propeller failures reported by the British manufacturer Dowty Propellers revealed damage linked to inadequate maintenance. Though the DGCA took corrective measures against responsible personnel, a pattern of technical faults and mishaps has persisted, with over 2,400 issues reported by domestic airlines since 2020.
Incidents like the severe turbulence faced by an IndiGo flight raised alarms, prompting the DGCA to revise its operational guidelines for pilots dealing with turbulent weather conditions. Kidwai remarked on the vital increase in reporting incidents as an essential step towards enhancing safety.
Despite these incidents, Kidwai claimed that there is no long-term impact on passenger confidence, as most travelers returned quickly to normal flying habits following the Air India tragedy. With air travel increasing dramatically, the DGCA faces growing pressure to ensure stricter compliance and maintenance within the fast-expanding aviation sector, while the number of operational aircraft continues to soar.
