DGCA revokes 50% restriction on SpiceJet flights from 30 October
1 min read . Updated: 21 Oct 2022, 04:11 PM IST
PremiumDGCA on 27 July limited the number of flights SpiceJet could operate to 50% of its summer schedule for a period of eight weeks
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has revoked the 50% restriction on SpiceJet flights with effect from 30 October, a senior official has confirmed.
This would mean that the airline will be able to operate 100% of its flights schedule from 30 October. It is important to note here that SpiceJet has been allowed to operate 3,193 flight departures per week by the DGCA in the winter schedule. This is 6.6% higher than the number of flight departures it was approved for the winter schedule of 2021. The winter schedule 2022 is effective from October 30, 2022 till March 25, 2023.
On 21 September, civil aviation regulator DGCA had extended the cap on SpiceJet’s operating capacity until 29 October.
The airline came under regulatory surveillance in July after a series of incidents related to technical glitches. This led to an order from the DGCA on 27 July which limited the number of flights the airline could operate to 50% of its summer schedule for a period of eight weeks. As a result, SpiceJet was allowed a maximum of 2,096 flight departures a week.
DGCA, in its July review, had found poor internal safety oversight, inadequate maintenance action resulting in degradation of safety margins and irregular payment to vendors leading to shortage of spare parts at SpiceJet.
The regulator has also initiated a probe after a SpiceJet Q400 aircraft made an emergency landing at Hyderabad airport after smoke was detected in the cabin on October 12.
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Following the incident, the aviation regulator DGCA has directed the airline to periodically draw engine oil samples every 15 days instead of presently 30 days and send to Pratt & Whitney Canada to ascertain presence of metal and carbon seal particles. Presently, the airline has 14 operational Q400 aircraft hence, it needs to take the measures specified by DGCa for these 28 engines.
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