Lok Sabha Question No. 949 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2024-02-08
Subject: Mechanism to Rectify the Delay of Flights
Ministry: CIVIL AVIATION
Asked by: Saptagiri Sankar Ulaka, Rajmohan Unnithan, Deepak Baij, Behanan Benny, Anto  Antony, Adoor Prakash, Dean Kuriakose, Mohammad Jawed

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION

## LOK SABHA

UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 949

(To be answered on the 8 th  February 2024)

## MECHANISM TO RECTIFY THE DELAY OF FLIGHTS

## 949. SHRI SAPTAGIRI SANKAR ULAKA

SHRI RAJMOHAN UNNITHAN

SHRI DEEPAK BAIJ

SHRI BENNY BEHANAN

SHRI ANTO ANTONY

ADV. ADOOR PRAKASH

ADV. DEAN KURIAKOSE

DR. MOHAMMAD JAWED

Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION

be pleased to state:-

- (a) whether the Government is collaborating with airlines to address and rectify the causes of delays and if so, the details thereof;
- (b) the mechanism in place to ensure effective communication between the regulatory body and airlines;
- (c) the steps taken by the Government to minimise the inconvenience caused to passengers due to flight delays;
- (d) the instances of non-compliance of the directions/guidelines by airlines leading to fines imposed on Airlines, particularly Indigo, Air India and SpiceJet at Mumbai International Airport Ltd. (MIAL) including the nature of the violations and the corrective actions

taken thereon; and

- (e) the actions taken by Air India and Spicejet to address the issue of rostering "non-CAT III compliant pilots" during low visibility, as highlighted by the DGCA?

## ANSWER

Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION

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

(a) to (c): Before the onset of fog, which is a major cause of delay, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) holds meetings with the  stakeholders such as airline operators and aerodrome operators to review the preparedness for

conduct of low visibility operation. All the scheduled airlines have  been directed by DGCA to activate an Emergency Control Room (War Room) at each metro airport for advance information of flight delays and  for providing necessary facilities to the passengers. In order to reduce inconvenience to the affected passengers due to delay in flight,  DGCA  has  issued  Civil  Aviation  Requirement  (CAR)  titled  as "Facilities to be provided to passengers by airlines due to denied boarding, cancellation  of  flights  and  delays  in  flights."  Under  the  provision  of aforementioned CAR, the airline has to provide meals and refreshments/hotel accommodation/alternate flight/full refund to the passenger who has checked in on time depending on the expected delay beyond of its original announced scheduled time of departure. However, airlines shall not be obliged to compensate in cases where the cancellation & delay is caused by a force majeure event i.e. extraordinary circumstance(s) beyond the control of the airline.

(d)  DGCA has imposed a financial penalty of Rs. 30 lakh on Mumbai International Airport Ltd (MIAL) for permitting passengers on apron which is in violation of Air Safety Circular 04 of 2007.

Show-cause notices were issued to M/s Spice Jet Limited and M/s Air India Limited on 02 January 2024 for rostering "non-CAT III compliant pilots" during low visibility. M/s Spice Jet Limited and M/s Air India Limited were also imposed financial penalty of Rs. 30 lakh each.

Again, Show Cause Notices  have been issued to M/s Spice Jet Limited, M/s Air India Limited and M/s Indigo Limited on 31 January 2024 for rostering "non-CAT III complaint pilots" during low visibility with a time limit of 14 days to submit their reply.

DGCA have also issued following instructions to  the airlines:

- i)  Airlines shall provide accurate real-time information regarding delays of their flights to passengers
2. ii) Airlines may cancel flights that are anticipated to be substantially delayed or consequentially delayed with a view to obviate congestion at the airport and mitigate passenger inconvenience and iii) All Airlines shall ensure that in case of flight diversion and long delays, the aircraft would be parked on contact stand so that passengers can be shifted to terminal  building  for  disembarkation/  de-boarding  and  under  no circumstances, the aircraft should be parked on remote bay and passengers allowed to disembark at the apron.

(e) M/s Air India Limited and M/s Spice Jet Limited  have committed to meet the stipulated guidelines in order to address the issue of rostering of "nonCAT III complaint pilots" during low visibility.

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