‘Greedy’ carriers overlook glitches

Mumbai: Airline executives and passengers alike are demanding that the government set up an independent air safety regulator to oversee the functioning of airlines, airports and even the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
The clamour for such a body is reaching a crescendo as pilots and maintenance engineers cutting across organisations speak of pressure from cost-conscious managers to cut corners as airlines struggle to maintain profitability. According to pilots and engineers, the present system where they enter equipment parameters in specified logs has been completely misused.
“Pilots are under pressure not to report malfunctioning equipment so that flights are not held up,” a pilot of a leading airline told this reporter, pleading anonymity.
Aircraft maintenance engineers also speak of managements cutting costs in providing spare parts on time or of the desired quality.
Representatives of engineers of airlines say the number of technical glitches is on the rise as airlines strive to reduce the time aircraft spends on the ground.
The Federation of Indian Pilots has mooted the idea of airline employees like pilots and engineers being encouraged to report safety lapses anonymously. The FIP has made a proposal to the Aviation Ministry that an airline safety board be set up for the purpose. The FIP’s proposal has also been echoed by the Air Passengers’ Association of India, which is a body seeking to establish the rights of air passengers.
16/06/10 Shiv Kumar/The Tribune

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Categories: Safety Jun 2010