DGCA takes 305 enforcement actions in 2023 on aviation misconduct
text_fieldsNew Delhi: A DGCA official statement on Sunday informed that it took 305 enforcement actions against several operators and individuals, among others, for non-compliance with various norms during 2022. The actions include financial penalties and others, reported PTI.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) enforces civil air regulations, air safety and airworthiness standards.
The statement said enforcement actions were taken against various airlines, including scheduled as well as non-scheduled operators, airport operators and flying training organisations for failing to adhere to laid down safety standards and norms and compromising the safety of aircraft operations, the DGCA statement said.
The actions were also taken against erring pilots, cabin crew, air traffic controllers (ATCOs), aircraft maintenance engineers, and various post holders for non-compliance to laid down regulations and SOPs, the statement said.
DGCA said that the major reasons for the actions include actions of the flight crew and ATCOs leading to serious incidents and accidents, improper aircraft maintenance, inadequate airport facilities and failure to clear breath analyser tests by them.
DGCA said that there were lapses on the part of various flying training organisations to follow laid-down SOPs and safety standards. In the year, the DGCA slapped financial penalties in 39 cases to the tune of ₹ 1.975 crores on various airlines, airport operators and FTOs.
The statement said that the penalties include the one imposed on no-frills carrier IndiGo for wrongfully offloading a differently-abled person. Tata Group-owned Air India was fined for not paying compensation to passengers for denied boarding, it said.
SpiceJet was fined for using a simulator with an unserviceable warning system for training pilots, while a penalty on Vistara was levied for non-compliance with route dispersal guidelines, the DGCA said.
Finally, there were penalties imposed on five non-scheduled operators for violation of NSOPs / overlogging of flying hours during Kedarnath yatra operations. Also, the Airport Authority of India was penalised for non-compliance with runway light requirements at Bhavnagar airport.
As many as 17 organisations, including Go First, were also penalised for non-adherence to laid down guidelines on breath analyser checks, the regulator said in the statement.