The imposition of fines and withdrawal of the head of training shows the DGCA’s commitment to enforcing the regulations and maintaining the highest standards of safety in the aviation industry.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) conducted a surveillance inspection of Air Asia from November 23 to November 25 2022, and observed that the airline was in violation of DGCA regulations, as a few mandatory exercises of the pilots were not done during the Pilot Proficiency Check/Instrument Rating check as per schedule, which is a requirement set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).
As a result of this violation, DGCA issued show cause notices to the accountable manager, head of training and all designated examiners of Air Asia, seeking an explanation as to why enforcement action should not be taken against them for lack of oversight of their regulatory obligations. After examining the written reply, the DGCA took the following enforcement actions:
Responding to the penalty imposed, Air Asia said that immediate corrective action was taken in coordination with DGCA and additional simulator training sessions to address the gap were implemented.
“We are reviewing the DGCA order and are considering making an appeal as per available regulatory provisions. We wish to reiterate that there is no deviation from the safety margins required for our operations,” the company added.
The DGCA has taken these enforcement actions to ensure the safety of air travel and to ensure that all airlines comply with the regulatory requirements set by the DGCA and the ICAO. The imposition of fines and withdrawal of the head of training shows the DGCA’s commitment to enforcing the regulations and maintaining the highest standards of safety in the aviation industry.
Air Asia is advised to take the necessary measures to comply with the applicable regulations and avoid any future violations. The airline is also required to take steps to prevent such violations from happening in the future, in order to maintain its compliance with the DGCA regulations.
First Published: Feb 11, 2023 1:07 PM IST
