US Federal Aviation Administration downgraded India after conducting an audit last year of the country's aviation regulator that found 31 issues of safety concern. PHOTO: REUTERS/FILE
The US Federal Aviation Administration downgraded India after conducting an audit last year of the country's aviation regulator that found 31 issues of safety concern, a ministry statement said.
The issues include the need for more and better trained full-time inspectors employed by the regulator tasked with carrying out safety checks on all types of aircraft and helicopters in India, it said.
"They have downgraded us to category 2. It is very disappointing and also surprising," Aviation Minister Ajit Singh said at a press conference in New Delhi.
The FAA has "determined that India at this time is not in compliance with the international standards for aviation safety oversight," according to FAA notes given to Indian regulator the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
The rating downgrade brings India below Pakistan and on a par with countries like Bangladesh, Ghana and Indonesia, according to FAA.
The downgrading effectively bars Air India and Jet Airways from increasing flights to the US, and additional safety checks will now be imposed on existing flights to the United States, the FAA's website shows.
Currently, Air India has 21 flights to the US per week while Jet Airway flies seven.
Indian airlines will also have to snap ties with US airlines, according to the website, but DGCA chief Prabhat Kumar said the downgrade would not affect the code-share agreement.
Jet has a code-share agreement with United Airlines currently, while Air India is joining Star Alliance.
Singh said 95 per cent of issues raised by the FAA have been resolved, while the remainder were expected to be resolved by March, adding it was the first time India had suffered a downgrade.
"They (FAA) should have based their decision on the situation now," said Singh, adding that the FAA's downgrade was based on air safety in September.
The downgrade is the latest controversy between the US and India, which are attempting to put diplomatic relations back on track after outrage in December over the arrest and strip search of an Indian envoy in New York.
The envoy, Devyani Khobragade, was arrested on charges of visa fraud involving her domestic servant and lying about how much she paid her. Khobragande denied any wrongdoing and eventually returned to India after a deal was struck between the two nations to mend their relations.
In a bid to head off the downgrade, the government announced two days ago that 75 new positions would be created in the DGCA to carry out safety inspections.
"This is an important step that will aid in India regaining its former Category 1 status in the future," the FAA said in its notes to the DCGA and released by the minister.
"The United States Government commends the Indian government for taking these important actions and looks forward to continued progress by Indian authorities," the FAA said.
India's aviation sector has grown enormously in the last decade, as the 1.2-billion population becomes more affluent, boosting the number of international and domestic passengers.
But the sector has been hit in the past by safety scandals, including over fake pilots flying with fake qualifications in 2001.
Police made several arrests over the scandal involving cases of pilots exaggerating their flying time while training and other irregularities.
In one such case, a captain who made several bad landings was found to have submitted faked paperwork to gain her licence.
Experts said they expected the downgrade as the aviation regulator had failed to address earlier FAA warnings in a given period of time.
"The decision of the FAA to downgrade is both embarrassing and disgraceful ... but one could see it coming," former Air India executive director Jitendra Bhargava told AFP. "The DGCA should take this as a wake up call."
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India’s air safety record better than US: Civil aviation ministry
he US aviation regulator, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), may have downgraded India citing lack of aviation safety oversight, but figures released by the civil aviation ministry indicate that the number of aviation accidents in India were far fewer than those in the US itself from 2009 to 2012.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/business-news/india-s-air-safety-record-better-than-us-govt/article1-1180054.aspx
@Stellar: Well, I guess the same must have happened to the West when they went from rags to riches after colonizing the world. Since before that, it was India and China that had more than 50% share of world trade. Then came the period of enlightenment when the western brains opened up to light. Hence its not a bad thing. Since the Chinese have caught up and the Indians are just about beginning to start that process, in dues course they will be come used to the riches. And then you would see sensible sermons arising from these countries just like you hear from the west today.
Well, very few Pakistani's have experienced travelling in Indian airlines and therefore only few can comment on the basis of personal experience. My experience with Pakistan airlines is that safety standards have declined over the years. I very much appreciate the hospitality and nice attitude of the cabin crew of PIA; however, over the last five years so many flights get delayed or cancelled due to lack of proper maintenance. On one occasion, seven flights were delayed or cancelled on a single day because of technical faults. One may not believe, but on a flight from Karachi to Mohenjo-Daro in 1993 on a Fokker, I saw that one of the tires had so little pressure that it could have easily got punctured but we were lucky and it did not happen. That was in 1993 but since 2008; PIA's maintenance has been less than satisfactory. So let us not rest on laurels but improve our airlines, safety and maintenance standards. As regards, the professionalism of the cabin crew of other airlines it is satisfactory but PIA is ahead, which makes me proud of the national carrier in this regard.
@Ali S: I fully agree that holier than thou attitude only worsens the problem. But I beg to differ when you say "whenever India is in the news for wrong reasons, they’ll look to someone else as a justification rather than recognizing the problem within themselves – for example, in light of the recent rape cases in India, the standard Indian counter-argument is that things aren’t much better in the US." The only strength of Indian society lies in being over critical of fault lines.Look at the problem of rapes. It is true that to day it is center stage due to indulgence of media, social groups, judiciary and common man. The way Justice Verma commission was formed and its recommendations were converted in to law and are being widely exercised. Every day fresh cases of rape are being reported and knowing fully well that this is hitting our tourism there is no effort to sweep these under the carpet. Look at the resounding movements against corruption, ,criminalization of politics VIP culture and accountability moves all over the country.Even the major parties are hugely shifting their policies. Thanks for reminding us again that we have to be extra alert and do not fall in a denial mode.
@lol: PIA still rates better than Air India according to Skytrax.
I've noticed that the overwhelming majority of Indians are patriotic to a fault, even when abroad. They're extremely proud of being Indian (not a bad thing) but whenever India is in the news for wrong reasons, they'll look to someone else as a justification rather than recognizing the problem within themselves - for example, in light of the recent rape cases in India, the standard Indian counter-argument is that things aren't much better in the US. Now that may be true, but that kind of attitude will only worsen the problem for India instead of solving it. Bollywood and cricket keeps most of their hungry, naked population occupied enough not to worry about 'petty' issues like poverty.
Pakistanis are another story. They're blindly patriotic when in Pakistan and blame Pakistan's failures on all sorts of conspiracy theories (maybe because of fear) but when abroad most Pakistanis don't hesitate to badmouth their country and quickly admit to its faults.
@lol:
Talk about facts not what your incompetent media is telling you. Check the US website who is worse, and stop considering yourself as a world power. As a matter of fact India will always be a third world country.
@kamal:
Lol another delusion............... India boosts worlds biggest "Jhonpar Patti" near airport to attract foreign aid and still think that they are not begging. Stop living in fools paradise
Ooooh nice. Seems like Pakistanis had a gala day ripping of India yet again. Enjoy your little world of ignorance.
@Tariq: look who is taking poverty! As per latest reports India's poverty has come down to 22% where as Pakistan's poverty has increased to 40%! It is better compared to Bangladesh than failed nation like Pakistan!
@just_someone: well it's a typical mental trait of upstarts. Remember it's not even been three decades that they got some prosperity in which still around 600 million lacks the "luxury" of toilets
Pakistan will never face this problem as no one visits them.
@Stellar: Would you support if I say NSA snooping is inpedendent and autonomous body? Seems horses are starting to fly in your country.
DGCA is very busy in giving perks,food etc to our members of parliment.It has no time tol look after safety issues.
In india scores live without food and clothing, they have a poverty beyond their control , india must never compare itself to China or the USA it will be much suitable if they can compare themselves to bangladesh ,nepal, burma, somalia etc.
@just_someone: The reason seems to be that India was a closed economy till 91-92 and they have opened up the economy in the Narsima Rao period. The sudden influx of western capitalist consumer culture which the west want India to nurture and accept, have totally changed their psyche. Imported cars(locally assembled) have replaced old ambassador cars, the plethora of electronic gadgets which they couldn't see in the initial 50 years of independence was suddenly there to be bought and experienced. It is a human psyche that if a poverty stricken person goes through rags to riches, he will be spoilt for choices, will become snobbish, with lot of airs about knick knacks. This is the reason i see many Indians behave in a snobbish and preposterous way.
This is expected. Air India is a crappy carrier.
India's downgrade is not a news as we know what goes on in third world. . What is news is that Pakistan's safety standards are better than India, Indonesia, Bangladesh. Well done Pakistan. Make it even better. Good luck to India too....
This makes me so happy. I is goings out to eat many a serving of delicious niharis to celebratings.
Hehhe, oh my god! I can't stop laughing! Hahahah!
LOL at pakistanis................HAHAHA... as far as i can remember the most recent accidents in recent history happened in pakistan.... besides PIA is one of the worst carries of the world....
FAA is an independent and autonomous body and the recent diplomatic row has no bearing on the current degradation of India's air safety ranking.
@chimgaadarr: One thing that is not fake is the drone attacks on a so called Sovereign country, the daily deadly bombings nor the civilwar brewing.
ET why does every article considers Pakistan as the lowest benchmark value? seriously comparing india and pakistan just to show that pakistan is better than india .. compare it with the lowest ranking country in case its not pakistan.
India's biggest problem currently seems to be that they are full of themselves. And Im not talking about the trolls here, I know lots of Indians and they always want to boast about how great India is. To become great, you have to recognize and fix your flaws. The US is an excellent example of this, the average American constantly wants things to be better and rarely talks about how amazing they are. Eventhough China is way ahead of India in everything, you see in the Chinese a constant will to improve, to better themselves and humility to recognize their faults. If India keeps itself subsumed and bloated in its arrogance, they will never be anything except a populated nation with potential.
The local Indian airlines have reduced the fares recently, US is unable to digest this. With inflated economy and incomes, US is unable to provide cheaper fares or services to their people.
As much as i like to defend India, we all know how inept India really is at such matters.
@chimgaadarr: watch out for drones overhead..!!
Unfortunately, India is world's larget Poverty