DGCA's Surprise Audits Expose Deep Flaws In Indian Aviation Safety; Urgent Need For Transparent, Zero-Tolerance Oversight

India’s air safety record appears seriously jeopardised by multiple acts of omission and commission, and a lot of the rot has been exposed by the surprise surveillance carried out by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in Delhi and Mumbai airports.

The litany of defects in planes and airports and the dereliction of duty by various aviation units should shock every passenger who places implicit trust in the regulator. The DGCA found, inter alia, aircraft maintenance engineers not attending to snags, key aspects of flying operations such as thrust reverser systems unserviceable, flap slat levers not locked, tyres worn out and training systems out of date.

These findings are bound to also alarm authorities at foreign airports, which provide slots to Indian airlines to operate commercial flights. In the absence of robust systems to meet minimum safety standards, 142 airlines from 17 countries are banned from operating in the European Union, and 24 countries are similarly banned in the United States.

Indian aviation has suffered a periodic jolt, such as the terrible Air India AI 171 crash in Ahmedabad on June 12 and the Air India Express crash in Kozhikode five years ago, but these did not create hurdles for domestic growth or international operations.

It is wholly appropriate that post-Ahmedabad, the DGCA has made public some of its findings from the surprise surveillance, although it failed to identify the errant entities. It should be pointed out that such inspections are not out of the ordinary and normally form part of the annual safety surveillance and audit programme of the organisation. So it is logical to ask how past reviews were followed up.

The burden of ensuring safe skies is growing heavier on the DGCA with the steady growth in passenger flights and the in-principle sanction accorded to 21 greenfield airport proposals. The Civil Aviation Ministry said recently that over the past three years, Indian airlines ordered 1,700 new aircraft, and passenger traffic grew 5.4% in the domestic sector and 11.4% in the international sector during 2024.

Such steady expansion highlights fast-paced economic activity and pent-up demand but equally underscores the need for unstinting attention to safety. This is particularly true for airports in tier 2 and 3 cities where flight operations may be small. It must be evident to the DGCA that sunlight is the best disinfectant, and a more transparent administration will bring pressure on all participants to raise their safety game.

DGCA Flags Repeated Aircraft Maintenance Defects, Airport Infrastructure And Ground Handling Lapses At Delhi And Mumbai Airports

Last year, the regulator aligned its national safety plan more closely with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), and goal number 1 for 2024-28 was Continuous Reduction of Operational Safety Risks. Ironically, the latest audit shows that not everyone in the sector feels persuaded to follow zero tolerance approaches. Airlines and airports have enjoyed the carrots of rising revenues, and the proverbial stick now needs to make an appearance.