The Union Civil Aviation Minister announced extra guidelines when aircraft were delayed owing to heavy fog. These guidelines were released barely one day after the DGCA, the aviation watchdog, published new SOPs due to aircraft delays across the nation, particularly in Northern India.
The new rules include establishing war rooms in all six metro airports to address any issues related to passenger inconvenience as soon as possible, as well as monitoring the implementation of DGCA directives, Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), and Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR).
In view of the fog-induced disruptions, Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) on mitigating passenger inconvenience were issued yesterday to all the airlines.
— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) January 16, 2024
1. In addition to these SOPs, we have sought incidence reporting thrice daily for all the 6 metro airports.
2.… https://t.co/346YXjxGdH
He also asked aiports to ensure the availability of sufficient CISF manpower round-the-clock along with the reporting of incidence thrice a day from all six metro airports.
DGCA releases new SOPs to airlines
Just a day earlier, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a set of Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) directing airlines on potential flight cancellations due to excessive delays caused by adverse weather conditions. The move is part of the DGCA’s efforts to ensure passenger safety and streamline operations during challenging weather situations.
The guidelines are encapsulated in the Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) Section-3, Series M Part IV, titled “Facilities to be provided to passengers by airlines due to denied boarding, cancellation of flights, and delays in flights.” The DGCA has made it mandatory for airlines to prominently feature the reference to this CAR on flight tickets. This measure aims to enhance transparency and ensure that passengers are aware of their entitlements in case of denied boarding, flight cancellations, or delays. The aviation regulator has explicitly emphasized that all airlines must strictly adhere to the provisions outlined in the CAR.
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