Aviation minister reviews airport operations after Air India crash; key safety, staffing, and communication measures announced across Indian airports.
Following the recent Air India crash outside Ahmedabad, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu held a video conference with Airport Directors all over India. The meeting aimed to reduce the impact of adverse weather conditions, airspace restrictions, emergencies, and other factors on airport operations.
The airports were given a directive to liaise with the airlines and ensure that passenger issues are addressed in a timely manner at the terminal level. The ministry noted that it required necessities like food, water and seating arrangements, especially when charges stopped and there were delays and traffic. There is also a need to ensure the provision of decent staffing at the most critical contact points that can better handle commuters and their complaints by airport authorities.
Airport directors have also been requested to assist airlines in case of operational shifts, such as providing logistical assistance with gate changes. Additionally, the ministry noted that it was time to strengthen wildlife hazard control to eliminate incidents of birds or stray animals on the runways.
Meetings with Airlines Focus on Safety and Operational Readiness
The minister also met with Air India’s top leadership in a separate conference to discuss the continuity of operations, passenger safety, and communication with the public. Air India is currently experiencing a shortage of aircraft due to the night flying ban in Europe and tensions in the Middle East. This will result in the airline temporarily cutting some of its routes and adjusting flight schedules.
Air India will provide either full refunds or rebookings to passengers whose flights are impacted. In further addressing the airline, the government wanted the airline to maintain a higher level of communication with its customers, particularly when disruptions occur, by updating them clearly and in a timely manner. The same was done in the case of IndiGo, SpiceJet, and Akasa, where they compared their safety measures, fleet status, and levels of service.
Crash Investigation Advances as AAIB Leads Probe
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) started its formal investigation into the Air India crash on June 12. The investigators retrieved the Digital Flight Data Recorder and the Cockpit Voice Recorder. Due to procedures set by the ICAO, international accident investigators, including members of the NTSB and representatives from aircraft manufacturers, were involved in the investigation.
According to the ministry, data collection and recovery are complete, and additional analysis is currently in progress. The authorities made it clear that any resolution to take the black box to an overseas country shall be based on technical and security reasons.
