The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued Tuesday a showcause notice to SpiceJet in light of the rising number of air safety incidents witnessed by the low-cost airline. The aviation safety regulator, in its notice, mentioned that the various incidents from April 1 this year till date have been reviewed, and it was found that “poor internal safety oversight” and “inadequate maintenance actions” has resulted in degradation of safety margins.
On Tuesday alone, at least three incidents involving SpiceJet aircraft were reported. First, a Boeing 737 Max aircraft flying Delhi-Dubai sector made an unplanned landing in Karachi, Pakistan, because of a malfunctioning indicator light in the cockpit. Second, a Bombardier Q400 Dash 8 plane from Kandla to Mumbai made a priority landing in Mumbai after the outer pane of one of its windshields cracked. Third, a Boeing 737 freighter aircraft that took off from Kolkata turned back due to an unserviceable weather radar.
In the showcause notice, the DGCA has also flagged the airline’s financial condition that has led to shortage of spare parts. “…financial assessment carried out by DGCA in September 2021 has also revealed that airline is operating on Cash & Carry and Suppliers/Approved Vendors are not being paid on regular basis leading to shortage of spares…,” the regulator wrote in its notice. The Indian Express has reviewed a copy of the notice.
For the nine-month period ended December 31, 2021, SpiceJet reported a consolidated net loss of Rs 1,259.21 crore, compared to Rs 1,028.19 crore of net loss for the 12-month period ended March 31, 2021. The company is yet to declare its results for quarter-ended March 31, 2022.
From the above it may be deduced that M/s SpiceJet Ltd has failed to establish a safe, efficient and reliable air services under terms of Rule 134 and Schedule XI of the Aircraft Rules, 1937. Now, therefore, the Accountable Manager of M/s SpiceJet Ltd, is hereby called upon to show cause within three weeks of receipt of this notice as to why action should not be taken against the airline,” the DGCA wrote.
Leave a Reply