Lok Sabha Question No. 2665 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2022-12-22
Subject: Cancellation of Flights
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Rajendra Agrawal

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 2665

(To be answered on the 22 nd  December 2022)

## CANCELLATION OF FLIGHTS

2665. SHRI RAJENDRA AGRAWAL

Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

be pleased to state:-

- (a) whether the cancellation of number of flights due to technical reasons is increasing continuously and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) whether the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has released the draft guidelines related to refund of airline tickets and facilities to be provided to passengers by airlines due to cancellation of flights; and
- (c)  if  so,  the  details  thereof  and  the  steps  proposed  to  be  taken  by  the Government to ensure that the cancellation of flights is avoided due to technical reasons?

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION

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

- (a) As per the monthly submission of traffic data by airlines, the total number of scheduled domestic flights which were cancelled due to technical reasons, during May 2022 to October 2022 is as under:

| Month (2022)   |   Total no. of flights scheduled |   Total no. of flights cancelled due to technical reason |
|----------------|----------------------------------|----------------------------------------------------------|
| May            |                            93133 |                                                       95 |
| June           |                            87762 |                                                      163 |
| July           |                            89512 |                                                      203 |
| August         |                            86038 |                                                      196 |
| September      |                            84305 |                                                      187 |
| October        |                            88719 |                                                       56 |

There is a declining trend in cancellation of flights due to technical reasons since July. The cancellations are about 0.2% of the total scheduled flights. (b) & (c): Guidelines with regard to refund & facilities to be provided in case of cancellation of flights have been issued vide Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) Section 3, Series M, Part II titled "Facilities to be provided to passengers by airlines due to denied boarding, cancellation of flight and delays in flights" to ensure appropriate protection for the air travellers. Directorate General Of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ensures that the airline and the  maintenance  organisation  continue  to  comply  with  the  regulatory requirements against which they have been initially approved through a system of surveillance, audits, spot checks, night surveillance etc. and in case of the non-compliances, DGCA ensures that rectification is carried out by the airlines/ maintenance organisation. DGCA initiates enforcement actions against organisation/personnel in case violations are found, which may include  warning,  suspension,  and  cancellation  including  imposition  of financial  penalty.

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