NEW DELHI: With instances ranging from poor upkeep of aircraft interiors to passenger injuries on airborne flights bringing the aviation sector under focus for wrong reasons, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has initiated night checks of stationary planes.
“We are carrying out night checks as part of our routine surveillance work. The focus is to get things right and not permit an aircraft with safety issues to fly,” DGCA Arun Kumar told TNIE.
The aircraft that would be under the scanner are the ones that have been in service for long. The checks are aimed at ensuring that the fitness levels of these aircraft continue to be high to maintain their airworthiness.
A spate of incidents has been reported in the recent past, prompting the aviation regulator to initiate the safety checks.
Last month, a passenger on board an Air India flight tweeted about the aircraft’s shabby interiors, which included a broken armrest.
The DGCA pulled up the airline, following which the requisite repairs were done.
SpiceJet has been in the news, too. Recently, 17 passengers suffered injuries during its Mumbai-Durgapur flight after a major turbulence and some had to be taken to a hospital on landing.
Another SpiceJet aircraft had to make an emergency landing within five minutes of takeoff from Chennai airport as its engine stopped working.
This B737 Max aircraft was subsequently grounded and DGCA has asked the airline to conduct thorough checks. The entire fleet of aircraft operated by SpiceJet is being investigated.
The DGCA has asked the airlines to ensure good upkeep of the interiors of the aircraft too. Airlines with an older fleet will be under the scanner.
The regulator wants to ensure that passengers fly in aircraft that not just have well-maintained interiors but are also safe to operate.