DGCA Safety Audits Raise Concerns: Airline-Hired Captains in Charge

New Delhi: Questions are emerging over India’s aviation safety as the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) relies heavily on airline-contracted captains rather than its own regular officers to conduct safety audits.

Currently, safety inspections of major airlines—including IndiGo, Air India, Air India Express, and SpiceJet—are mostly carried out by senior pilots hired on contract from these very airlines. DGCA’s permanent officers primarily focus on auditing airport operations, leaving airline and aircraft audits to these contracted experts.

Who Conducts the Audits?

Sources indicate that over 120 captains, experienced in flight operations, are currently on contract with DGCA. Their role is to ensure that airlines comply with safety norms and international standards. However, experts warn that this setup creates a potential conflict of interest, where reliance on airline personnel might compromise the objectivity of safety inspections.

Recent Safety Concerns

A recent incident involving an Air India aircraft highlighted the issue: the plane took off eight times without proper NOC (No Objection Certificate). Aviation analysts argue that DGCA should strengthen its permanent cadre of officers for audits to minimize risks and ensure uncompromised safety oversight.

Passenger Confidence Slowly Returning

Domestic aviation in India is gradually normalizing. On Saturday, the number of domestic flight take-offs crossed 3,000, reaching 3,032. IndiGo’s on-time performance remains stronger than other carriers, but its load factor is still the lowest, indicating that full passenger confidence will take time to restore.

With India’s skies becoming increasingly busy, experts emphasize that robust, independent safety audits are essential to maintain trust and uphold international aviation standards.