Avoid excessive duty free items on board: DGCA asks airlines

Carriers now required to avoid 'unwanted extra weight' in order to curb additional fuel burn

Aviation regulator DGCA has asked airlines to stop allowing excessive duty free material and extra crew baggage on board, as part of its efforts to ensure efficient fuel management during flights.

Besides, the carriers are now required to avoid "unwanted extra weight" in order to curb additional fuel burn.

The latest directive is part of a detailed circular on 'Climate Change Initiatives and Local Air Quality Monitoring in Civil Aviation'.

According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), carriers should avoid additional fuel burn on account of unwanted extra weight.

"Carriage of items like old magazines and newspapers, excess duty free material, extra water in the tanks not required for the flight, pillows and blankets, excessive crew baggage, extra airline magazines, empty baggage and cargo containers, etc. Shall be avoided on board the aircraft.

"Moisture accumulation in the aircraft insulation, accumulation of dirt both inside and outside the aircraft shall also be avoided," it said in a recent circular.

Whenever practicable, the flight crew should follow an uninterrupted descent profile from cruise altitude without the use of thrust or speed brakes until reaching the final approach stabilisation altitude.

"The flight crew shall also adhere to the computed descent speeds and monitor the descent profile for any adjustments, if any," it added.

Among others, foreign-registered airlines operating to/from India are exempted from these requirements.

Apart from airlines, DGCA has asked airport operates to manage emissions by utilising best practices, including use of renewable energy.

Meanwhile, airport operators have been asked to set up monitoring stations to asses local air quality as well as identify the pollutants.

They should also collect "air quality data" and submit the same on annual basis to the DGCA.