SpiceJet Under Enhanced DGCA Surveillance Due to Flight Cancellations and Financial Stress
New Delhi [India], August 29: SpiceJet Airlines is now under ‘enhanced surveillance’ by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). This decision follows reports of flight cancellations and financial stress within the airline.
Special Audit Reveals Deficiencies
On August 7th and 8th, 2024, the DGCA conducted a special audit of SpiceJet’s engineering facilities, uncovering several deficiencies. This audit was prompted by a series of incidents reported in 2022, leading to a special drive of spot checks. During these checks, SpiceJet was only allowed to release aircraft for operations after confirming that all reported defects and malfunctions had been rectified.
Increased Surveillance Measures
In 2023, due to ongoing financial stress, SpiceJet was placed under enhanced surveillance again. This involves more frequent spot checks and night surveillance to ensure the safety of operations.
Air India Express Fined
In a related development, the DGCA imposed a financial penalty of Rs 10 lakhs on Air India Express for not complying with DGCA regulations. A surveillance inspection in June 2024 revealed that Air India Express failed to provide compensation to passengers affected by flight cancellations, as required by DGCA’s passenger-centric regulations.
Ensuring Passenger Safety
The DGCA continues to conduct inspections of scheduled domestic airlines at major airports to ensure compliance with passenger-centric regulations, safeguarding the interests of air travelers.
Doubts Revealed
SpiceJet -: SpiceJet is an airline company in India that operates flights to various destinations.
DGCA -: DGCA stands for Directorate General of Civil Aviation. It is the Indian government body responsible for regulating civil aviation, which includes airlines and airports.
Enhanced surveillance -: Enhanced surveillance means that the DGCA will closely monitor SpiceJet’s operations to ensure they are safe and follow all rules.
Flight cancellations -: Flight cancellations happen when an airline decides not to operate a scheduled flight, which can cause inconvenience to passengers.
Financial stress -: Financial stress means that SpiceJet is having money problems, which can affect its ability to operate flights smoothly.
Special audit -: A special audit is a detailed examination of a company’s operations and finances to check for any problems or rule violations.
Engineering facilities -: Engineering facilities are places where airplanes are maintained and repaired to ensure they are safe to fly.
Spot checks -: Spot checks are surprise inspections conducted by authorities to ensure that rules and standards are being followed.
Night surveillance -: Night surveillance means monitoring activities during the night to ensure safety and compliance with rules.
Air India Express -: Air India Express is another airline in India that operates flights, mainly to international destinations.
Passenger compensation regulations -: Passenger compensation regulations are rules that require airlines to compensate passengers for inconveniences like flight delays or cancellations.
Rs 10 lakhs -: Rs 10 lakhs is a sum of money in Indian currency, equivalent to 1 million rupees.
