‘IA flying old planes in NE sector’

New Delhi: It can happen only in the Northeast. Stunned passengers travelling by an Indian Airlines Kolkata-Silchar flight reported a leak in the aircraft from where water droplets hit them on the head, like from a leaking roof! The incident, since confirmed by the Ministry of Civil Aviation, took place on February 14. Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Praful Patel said in a Rajya Sabha reply to a question by Karnendu Bhattacharjee that water droplets were reported to be falling in the aisle over first, third and 21st row, as a consequence of condensation of cooled conditioned air without affecting the safety of the aircraft and passengers.
Bhattacharjee charged that Indian Airlines was flying 25-30 year old aircrafts in Kolkata-Silchar sector.
Conceding that the airline was flying old aircrafts, the Minister said that an aircraft could be flown as long as it is maintained according to the schedule approved by the DGCA. The fleet of Boeing 737 aircrafts is maintained in the state of continued airworthiness and the ageing fleet modifications are also complied with.
06/03/07 Assam Tribune

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Categories: indian mar 2007, Safety Mar 2007