Not a day has passed since the Air India crash in Ahmedabad when there has not been an incident involving planes—takeoffs aborted, aircraft skidding off runways, engines catching fire, flights returning to base after takeoff, cancellations, and diversions to other airports due to technical glitches have almost become routine. We also had six helicopter crashes involving pilgrims in Uttarakhand in this period, out of which two were fatal accidents.
No wonder a sense of foreboding pervades the public’s mind. The vivid live video of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner fireball and images of its aftermath are still haunting the imagination of the nation and the world. Though more people die in road and train accidents in India than anywhere else in the world, people are asking, “Is it safe to fly?” This is why we have to look at the larger picture of Indian aviation today.
First, of course, is Air India. The preliminary investigation report into its flight 171 crash has raised more questions than answers. It has stoked conspiracy theories and TV-presenters-on-steroids are working overtime sowing confusion. Aspersions are being cast by the pilots’ association on the integrity and fairness of the probe agencies. Charges are being levelled that the truth has already been made a casualty.
Given the trepidation in the air, the aviation ministry and Directorate General of Civil Aviation must do everything to earn the confidence of the public and the aviation community. They must speedily conclude the full investigation and publish the report for public knowledge. The cause of the accident must be established without fear—to learn from and avoid future disasters.
For itself, Air India has to get its act together fast and earn back the reputation of its glory days during JRD Tata’s charismatic leadership in the pioneering phase before independence. The airline lost its sheen and glamour after nationalisation and JRD’s exit from the airline. It has had never-ending woes ever since.
When the Tatas re-acquired the moribund airline from the government for an astronomical ₹18,000 crore, it was like getting back a family jewel out of nostalgia than for business needs or merits. The group already had two other airlines—Air Asia and Vistara, both incurring losses since inception. Now it’s saddled with four—Air India, Air India Express, Air Asia and Vistara—and is in the midst of integrating the four boards of management, departments of flight operations, engineering, training, quality control, cabin crew, logistics, inventory management, finance, revenue management, reservation and airport operations.
It also has to work with multiple types of aircraft and differing training standards, HR and promotion policies, salary structures, and, most significantly, varying organisation cultures. It is a Herculean task for the Tatas to get it right and avoid future mishaps. The group, which has an enviable management history and capability, needs to accomplish it by whatever means and win back the trust of the public.
To be fair, the other private airlines— IndiGo, which has a mammoth fleet of 400 aircraft, SpiceJet and Akasa—have a blemishless record of zero fatalities since their founding days, going back 20 years for Spice, 18 years for IndiGo and 3 years for Akasa. But cracks are showing in their operations, too—there have been several scary incidents over the years, and it will be foolish to be complacent.
On the whole, things have been touch-and-go. It shows that safety cannot be ensured by mere regulatory oversight, but must come from within the airlines themselves through rigorous and continuous training, and adherence to standard operating procedures.
The government must turn its attention to the DGCA. Its cadre must be strengthened and they should undergo continuous refresher courses throughout their careers to upgrade their skills and keep up with ever-changing aerospace technologies. The entire top management must be filled by technocrats and the ubiquitous IAS officers, even if brilliant in administration, must be replaced by highly accomplished employees from among the DGCA. That will motivate them. If the Space Research Organisation and Atomic Energy Commission are steered by scientists, why treat the DGCA differently?
And finally, all airports must be thoroughly upgraded to the highest quality and safety standards. Not just the terminal buildings, where disproportionate investments are diverted vis-à-vis runways, lighting, state-of-the-art instruments, and landing systems that are critical for safety. Most accidents occur globally during landing and takeoff. Land encroachments and dense conurbations with civilian populations along the approach and takeoff funnels must be surveyed and cleared, which would need political will. Had there been no buildings just outside the Ahmedabad airport perimeter, the Dreamliner pilots could have probably landed safely with minimal damage.
Meanwhile, the public must refrain from panic, fretting whether to fly or not, or asking which is the safest seat in the plane. It would be sober of us to remember that more people die while driving to the airport than while flying.
G R Gopinath | Founder, Air Deccan; former Captain, Indian Army
(Views are personal)