Mumbai: Indian aviation authorities have decided to subject foreign airlines, including American carriers, to greater scrutiny in what is seen as a tit-for-tat response to the US's downgrade of India's air safety ranking.
In an order dated February 4, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked its officers to conduct a series of thorough checks on flights operated by foreign airlines.
The checks have been ordered under DGCA's guidelines called 'Surveillance Oversight of Foreign Aircraft' (SOFA). They will not only involve detailed examination of the planes, but also of the crew. Indian authorities will ask pilots to take an alcohol test and will also review their paperwork (passport validity, licence validity).
Until now, such surveillance of foreign airlines — as the DGCA calls it — was carried out only intermittently. But with new 'SOFA' directive, it will be done periodically, a source in the regulatory body said.
The February 4 order came four days after the US Federal Aviation Administration downgraded India's air safety rating to category 2 after an audit conducted by it found over 30 safety issues, including shortage of trained full-time inspectors.
The downgrade — which places India in the league of countries like Zimbabwe and Uruguay — prevents Indian airlines from increasing flights to the US, and results in additional checks for existing ones.
08/02/14 Bipin Kumar Singh/Mumbai Mirror
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In an order dated February 4, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked its officers to conduct a series of thorough checks on flights operated by foreign airlines.
The checks have been ordered under DGCA's guidelines called 'Surveillance Oversight of Foreign Aircraft' (SOFA). They will not only involve detailed examination of the planes, but also of the crew. Indian authorities will ask pilots to take an alcohol test and will also review their paperwork (passport validity, licence validity).
Until now, such surveillance of foreign airlines — as the DGCA calls it — was carried out only intermittently. But with new 'SOFA' directive, it will be done periodically, a source in the regulatory body said.
The February 4 order came four days after the US Federal Aviation Administration downgraded India's air safety rating to category 2 after an audit conducted by it found over 30 safety issues, including shortage of trained full-time inspectors.
The downgrade — which places India in the league of countries like Zimbabwe and Uruguay — prevents Indian airlines from increasing flights to the US, and results in additional checks for existing ones.
08/02/14 Bipin Kumar Singh/Mumbai Mirror
