SpiceJet flights to be reinstated gradually - India aviation watchdog

Jet Airways (India)

04/08/2022 12:42

By Aditi Shah
    NEW DELHI, Aug 4 (Reuters) - India will allow SpiceJet Ltd
 SPJT.NS  to reinstate flights in a "graded manner" once the
airline shows it has sufficient engineering strength and the
financial ability to stock up on spares, the country's air
safety watchdog told Reuters.
    Last week, in an unprecedented move, India slashed
SpiceJet's approved departures by 50% for a period of eight
weeks after an audit revealed the airline's inability to
establish "a safe, efficient and reliable" service.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2Z82Q2
   
    While placing SpiceJet under "enhanced surveillance", the
regulator stated in its notice there was "poor internal safety
oversight" at the airline, and that financial issues at the
carrier were leading to "frequent shortage of spares". 
    The chief of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation
(DGCA), Arun Kumar, said SpiceJet will be permitted to reinstate
its capacity but in a gradual manner and once it demonstrates it
has fixed the manpower and spare part shortages.
    "At this point of time we feel they can only operate 50% of
their capacity without compromising safety," Kumar said, during
an interview at the watchdog's headquarters in India's national
capital New Delhi.
    Kumar said a review of SpiceJet's operations and physical
audit of the airline showed the carrier was "incapable" of
flying at full capacity.
    "The decision is a pre-emptive step to ensure there is no
safety issue in the future and does not mean the airline is not
fit to fly. Our objective is not to disrupt service."
    SpiceJet did not respond to a request for comment on the
DGCA's observations.
    The airline has previously said it is confident of scaling
up its operations and addressing any concern the regulator may
have.
    SpiceJet has reported close to a dozen safety incidents
since May, which included a side windshield outer pane that
cracked mid-flight and a malfunctioning indicator light,
prompting the DGCA to issue a notice to the airline on July 5
asking why no action should be taken against it.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL1N2YN0M2
    Since then SpiceJet has shown an improvement in its
operations, Kumar said. 
    "An aircraft is a complex machine. When components break
down or malfunction ... there is a process that needs to be
followed to deal with it," Kumar said.     
    With growth in India's domestic aviation market reaching
pre-pandemic levels, new airlines coming on board and old ones
expanding, Kumar said the DGCA is looking to hire more people to
maintain its surveillance of the sector.  urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL4N2Z31LN
    The regulator conducts 3,700 checks in a year and currently
has about 1,300 staff to do that. It plans to add 400 more over
the next one year, mainly in its technical team, Kumar said. 
    "The point is to make ourselves more robust to take on
growth in the market," he said.

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India’s SpiceJet airline faces multiple technical malfunctions  
 https://tmsnrt.rs/3zAU2xF
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 (Reporting by Aditi Shah;Editing by Elaine Hardcastle)
 ((aditi.shah@tr.com; +91-11-4954 8023, +91-11-3015 8023;
Reuters Messaging: twitter: @aditishahsays))