Panel questions Air India, DGCA on safety and staffing

Air India and DGCA Face Opposition at Parliamentary Panel Meeting on Aviation Safety

• Air India and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) faced criticism at a parliamentary panel meeting on aviation safety.

• The panel asked Air India to provide written responses on safety issues following the crash of its Boeing 787 aircraft in Ahmedabad on June 12.

• The DGCA faced questions about the staff shortage, with 45% of its sanctioned posts vacant, and its autonomy.

• The panel also raised concerns about the staff shortage at the DGCA due to the rapid growth of the civil aviation sector.

• The meeting was chaired by Janata Dal(U) MP Sanjay Jha and included top officials from the DGCA, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), the Civil Aviation Ministry, the Airports Authority of India, and representatives of several airlines, airports, and helicopter operators.

• The panel demanded a safety audit within three months and asked about the AAIB’s probe into the Air India crash.

• The panel also asked about the composition of the probe committee and the responsibility of the AAIB in handling accountability after air accidents.