DGCA issues second show cause notice to Akasa Air over operations manual

(This report has been updated)   The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Monday issued another show cause notice to Akasa Air, stating that its director of flight operations did not revise the operations manual within the mandatory six-month period, officials stated on Tuesday.

 

This is the second show cause notice issued by the DGCA to Akasa Air this month. On December 9, the regulator issued a show cause notice to Akasa Air after finding "poor maintenance standards" and "lapses" during a spot check conducted at Bengaluru airport in August this year. The regulator gave the airline 15 days to respond to this notice.

 

On December 16, the regulator issued the second show cause notice to the airline, stating that the "revision cycle of operations manual has exceeded six months", which is in violation of the DGCA regulations. Officials stated that it was the responsibility of the director of flight operations to ensure that these regulations are followed. For this notice, the DGCA has given the airline 14 days to respond.

 

The operations manual is crucial for ensuring safety, regulatory compliance, and standardised procedures across an airline's operations. Half-yearly revisions are mandatory to incorporate regulatory updates, address operational changes, and integrate lessons learned from audits or incidents. Failure to update it compromises safety and compliance, risking penalties from the DGCA.

 

Akasa Air, which started operating commercial flights in August 2022, has 26 planes in its fleet. According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, the airline is operating about 956 flights per week this month, about 21 per cent higher year-on-year. 

When asked about this matter, Akasa Air’s spokesperson stated: “The DGCA has raised certain findings for which they have issued a notice for clarification from Akasa Air’s Flight Operations team.”

 

“As always, we are working closely with the DGCA to clarify this issue and enhance our protocols as required by the regulator. Safety is of utmost importance, and we continuously strive to pursue the highest standards of safety,” the spokesperson added.