Two Mumbai airport officials suspended over fudging on-time data

The finding gives weight to IndiGo's claim, which raised questions over computation of its OTP data

Mumbai airport has suspended two executives after a probe found alleged discrepancies in measurement of on-time performances of airlines.

IndiGo's had raised questions about OTP computation and complained to regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) that the process was prone to fudging. A probe found that pushback time of 10 flights in December and 12 flights in November was recorded incorrectly in the airport operations’ database, thereby affecting the on-time performance of these flights, Mial's deputy general manager Rajesh Bobde wrote to DGCA. Mial is Mumbai International Airport Limited, a GVK group-led consortium that operates the Mumbai airport. In pushback, an aircraft is pushed backwards from an airport gate by a vehicle called pushback tractor or tug.

After IndiGo's complaint, DGCA set up an inquiry committee. 

“A detailed inquiry by Mial is in progress,” Bobde said, adding that two executives have been placed on suspension. When asked about the issue, a Mial spokesperson said, “The matter is under investigation.”

After market leader IndiGo's complaint, SpiceJet chairman and managing director Ajay Singh met the regulator, opposing inquiry. IndiGo reacted there was no reason to oppose an investigation if the data were genuine.

SpiceJet has used DGCA data for its branding, which say the airline has best OTP.

Sources at Mumbai airport said when an aircraft is parked at aerobridge arrival, pushback time is fed to the airport's database directly. However, for planes which get remote bays, the arrival and pushback time is computed with automation and manual intervention both. 

This data are shared by Mial with airlines on a daily basis to ascertain reasons for delays. Airlines submit their own arrival and pushback data, often pointing to discrepancies, the sources added.