Aday after three SpiceJet flights including one cargo plane faced technical malfunctions, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) Wednesday issued a show-cause notice to the airline carrier and asked it to respond to the notice within three weeks.
With three flights getting disrupted on Tuesday, a total of eight technical malfunction incidents have been reported on Spicejet flights in the last 18 days. The DGCA said SpiceJet has failed to “establish a safe, efficient and reliable air services” under terms of Rule 134 and Schedule XI of the Aircraft Rules, 1937.
“The review (of incidents) transpires that poor internal safety oversight and inadequate maintenance actions (as most of the incidents are related to either component failure or system related failure) have resulted in degradation of the safety margins,” the DGCA notice stated.
“Financial assessment carried out by DGCA in September 2021 has also revealed that the airline is operating on ‘cash-and-carry’ (model) and suppliers/approved vendors are not being paid on a regular basis leading to shortage of spares and frequent invoking of MELs (minimum equipment lists),” the notice added.
Reacting to the DGCA notice, Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia asserted that passenger safety was paramount. “Even the smallest error hindering safety will be thoroughly investigated & course-corrected,” he said in a tweet.
“The reported incidents on aircraft operated by Spicejet Ltd. from April 1, 2022, till date have been reviewed and it has been observed that on a number of occasions, the aircraft either turned back to its originating station or continued landing to the destination with degraded safety margins,” DGCA’s show-cause notice reads.
Whereas, the review transpires that poor internal safety oversight and inadequate maintenance actions, “as most of the incidents are related to either component failure or system related failure) has resulted in degradation of the safety margins,” DGCA said.
On the above-said incidents, aviation watchdog the DGCA has called Accountable top officials of Spicejet. “Hereby SpiceJet called upon to Show Cause within 3 weeks of receipt of this Notice as to why action should not be taken against the airline. In case no reply is received within the stipulated period, the matter will be proceeded ex-parte,” DGCA said in the show cause letter.
(With Agency Inputs)
