Lok Sabha Question No. 3039 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-08-04
Subject: Safety Standards of Airlines
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO.

3039

(To be answered on the 4th August 2022)

## SAFETY STANDARDS OF AIRLINES

## 3039. SHRI RAM MOHAN NAIDU KINJARAPU

## Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

- (b) if the details thereof; SO,

be pleased to state: -

- (a) whether any steps have been taken by the Government to avert the incidents/accidents occurred in the aviation sector;
- whether the financial status of airlines has any impact on the safety standards of airlines; and
- (d) if s0, the details thereof and the steps taken by the Government in this regard?

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION

(GEN. (DR) V. K SINGH (RETD))

(a) & (b) The steps taken by the Government to reduce incidents/accidents inter alia includes:

- (ii) Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) conducts surveillancelspot checks as per the Annual Surveillance Plan (ASP): Findings of audits, surveillances & spot checks are followed up with the concerned operator for compliance. The observations are closed after due verification. The compliance of the action taken by the operator is verified during the next auditlsurveillance.
- (1) There is a systematic safety oversight process in place for monitoring the compliance of Rules and Civil Aviation Requirements The safety oversight process includes surveillances, spot check and regulatory audits. In addition special audits are also carried out as per the risk perceived.
- (iii) Accidentlincident data is regularly analyzed and based on the analysis, guidance in the form of advisory Circulars are issued to bring important observations/findings to the notice of the operators to avoid the recurrence of the accidentslincidents.
- (iv) In case of any violations/ non-compliance to regulations detected during auditlsurveillance, enforcement action including financial penalty is imposed

by the DGCA.

- (vi) Spot checks and surveillance have been increased and during the period of 02.05.2022 to 13.07.2022, as a special drive 353 spot checks were undertaken by DGCA.
- (v) Safety recommendations emanating from the investigation reports are followed up for implementation with the concerned agencies s0 as to prevent recurrence of similar incident in future:
- (vii) DGCA also issued an interim order to M/s Spicejet on 27.07.2022, wherein for the continued sustenance of safe and reliable air transport service, the number of departures of MIs Spicejet have been restricted to 50% of the number of departures approved under summer schedule 2022 for a period of 8 weeks:
- (c) & (d) The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) carries out assessment of impact of financial stress On safety of operations as per the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) Section 3, Series S, Part-I on "Evaluation of Air Carrier's Management of Significant changes Assessment of Impact of Financial Stress 0n Safety of Operations" on yearly basis. Information for the Financial Year (FY) 2021-22 is due by 31.12.2022. On the basis of information for the last 5 years (upto FY 2020-21) submitted by airlines, year-wise and can be inferred that:
- All the airlines seem to have a stable financial condition criteria:
- (ii) The Growth Criteria for all airlines seems satisfactory:

However; based on the assessment of the data submitted by airlines; increase in surveillance was initiated against Mls Jet Airways in the year 2019 and against Mls SpiceJet in the year 2021. Further, based on the review of reported incidents on aircraft operated by Mls SpiceJet from Olst April to Sth June 2022, wherein it was observed inter-alia that aircraft turned back, continued landing to destination with degraded safety margins, the DGCA has continued sustenance of safe and reliable air transport service, the number of departures of M/s SpiceJet have been restricted to 50% of the number of departures approved under summer schedule 2022 for a period of 8 weeks from the date of issue.

Due to COVID-19 pandemic, the flight operations were completely suspended in the year 2020 and were resumed with restrictions in mid-2020. However, all the airlines continued to comply with the required safety standards during the period.