DGCA to audit Kingfisher ops

Detailed questionnaire to seek information on points related to safety, maintenance, utilisation etc.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) would carry out an audit of Kingfisher Airlines this week to assess whether the carrier is adhering to the required safety standards or cutting corners, as it faces a financial crisis.

The audit assumes significance, since it is being carried out in the backdrop of Kingfisher cancelling over 50 flights daily. On Saturday, the airline's chief executive, Sanjay Aggarwal, met DGCA Bharat Bhushan in New Delhi to explain the reasons behind the airline's drastic steps. He said no further cancellations would take place than those already announced.

The audit would find out whether Kingfisher was maintaining schedule discipline and probe reasons for cancellations, a source said. The audit is being carried according to DGCA rules, which came into effect last year. However, it is only now that these are being enforced vigorously. A detailed questionnaire would be sent to the airline, seeking information on seventeen points related to safety, maintenance, training, aircraft induction, fleet utilisation, schedules and resource management, amongst others.

Last week, the DGCA had sent a notice to the airline, since it was kept in dark on the curtailment issue. The airline has been cancelling 30-50 flights every day on non-profitable routes. DGCA is also planning to give Kingfisher's unutilised slots to other airlines.

Bhushan refused to comment on the meeting. “We will deal as per rules,'' he said, adding he was unaware about media reports on Kingfisher's plans to cut down 200 flights. Aggarwal had told media persons Kingfisher would gradually restore its schedule, once its aircraft reconfiguration was complete. Currently, the airline has 66 planes and operates around 55.

“Our cancellations range between 50-55 flights a day. There would be no more flight cancellations, barring whatever we have already announced. We will restore all these flights gradually, over the next three to four months starting December,'' he said, adding by next summer, the airline would have an operating schedule like in the past.