New Delhi [India], July 29 (ANI): According to Union Minister of Civil Aviation Jyotiraditya Scindia, there can be no compromise when it comes to passenger safety, especially in light of the recurring technical issues in domestic airlines.
In the past year, there have been multiple incidents where aircraft have had to turn back or land with reduced safety margins due to technical problems.
During a briefing, the civil aviation minister stated that decisive measures have been taken, including spot checks and audits by the regulator DGCA, to address these issues.
In a written reply to Lok Sabha on Thursday, the minister revealed that a total of 478 technical snags were reported between July 2021 and June 2022.
He further explained that these snags are reported by the flight crew when they receive warnings or indications of faulty systems or difficulties in operating the aircraft.
On Wednesday, the DGCA ordered SpiceJet to operate a maximum of 50 per cent of its flights for eight weeks due to recent technical malfunctions in its planes.
In an interview with ANI, DGCA Director General Arun Kumar stated that while aircraft systems are generally robust, component failures do not necessarily compromise passenger safety.
He also praised pilots for their competence in handling occasional glitches.
When asked about the reasons for these repeated technical snags and whether it has raised concerns about passenger safety, Kumar stated that expecting no component failures despite regular maintenance is unrealistic.
He also noted that aviation is a highly regulated and safe mode of transportation, with no fatal accidents reported in India in 2021 and 2022.
Responding to a question about the possibility of prolonged non-functionality of planes during the Covid pandemic contributing to these snags, Kumar acknowledged that it could be a factor. (ANI)