After the airline experienced four tail strike accidents on its A321 aircraft this year, the aviation authority penalized IndiGo Rs. 30 lahks.
A tail strike happens when the aft fuselage, or back end, of an aircraft, scrapes the runway during takeoff or landing. Such occurrences can harm a plane.
The airline’s paperwork and operating procedures including operations, training, engineering, and the Flight Data Monitoring (FDM) program were subjected to a special examination, according to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
“During the special audit, certain systemic deficiencies were observed in M/s Indigo Airlines documentation about operations/training procedures and engineering procedures,” the statement said.
“IndiGo has been granted a month to consider filing an appeal against the ruling. The airline stated that IndiGo is reviewing the DGCA ruling and would reply to it as soon as possible.
When evaluated at “various levels,” the airline’s response to a show-cause request was deemed inadequate, according to DGCA. Additionally, it was instructed to modify its paperwork and practices to comply with OEM specifications and the aviation regulator’s requirements.
According to the airline, “IndiGo responded to the DGCA show cause notice on July 19, 2023, indicating that there is no violation of procedures established by OEM and approved in the regulatory manuals.”
Two pilots who were engaged in a tail strike on June 15 at the Ahmedabad airport were suspended last week by the DGCA. Both the co-pilot and the pilot-in-command were placed on three-month suspensions.
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At Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport in June, a tail hit occurred on an IndiGo aircraft. At the airports of Nagpur in April and Kolkata in January, the airline’s aircraft had tail strikes.
The largest domestic airline in the nation is Indigo, which accounts for over 63% of the market. Last month, the business placed the largest single-tranche aircraft order in history with Airbus for 500 A320 family aircraft.
The airline divided this order for aircraft into 375 A321neo and 125 A320neo aircraft.
