MUMBAI- Indian Aviation regulator DGCA imposed a ₹10 lakh penalty on Akasa Air (QP) for violating passenger boarding rules.
The incident occurred when seven passengers were denied boarding on flight QP1437 from Bangalore to Pune on September 6, 2024.
Akasa Air Fines DGCA
The airline’s original aircraft suffered foreign object damage, forcing them to deploy a replacement plane. The substitute aircraft had nine non-operational seats, preventing seven passengers from boarding their scheduled 8:50 PM flight.
Akasa Air arranged alternate travel on IndiGo Airlines (6E) flight 6E116, departing at 10:40 PM. This rescheduling delayed the passengers’ journey by over an hour. The airline failed to provide mandatory compensation to affected passengers.
The DGCA found Akasa Air in violation of Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) Section-3, Series M, Part IV. These regulations mandate airlines to compensate passengers denied boarding due to operational issues.
The regulator’s order confirmed that Akasa Air breached passenger rights by not offering compensation despite moving travelers to an alternative flight.
Official Statement
Akasa Air responded to DGCA’s ₹10 lakh penalty on December 24, 2024, stating they will enhance protocols per regulatory requirements.
The airline faces increased DGCA scrutiny over maintenance and certification lapses. DGCA issued a notice for delayed operations manual updates and questioned their Aircraft Maintenance Engineer after a spot check revealed safety concerns.
The August 30 inspection at Bangalore International Airport found improper installation of a nose wheel tire pressure indicator sensor on aircraft VT-YAY. The maintenance staff failed to secure the sensor system correctly.
The recent actions follow a ₹30 lakh fine imposed in November for pilot training deficiencies. DGCA discovered these violations during a May audit, leading to an August show cause notice.
Akasa Pilot Complaint to DGCA
In a separate incident, Akasa Air pilots reported safety violations and management intimidation to the aviation regulator DGCA. The pilots claim management threatened disciplinary action for reporting sick during the December 25 – January 1 holiday period.
Captain Gracious Flyod instructed unwell pilots to continue flight duties, violating aviation safety protocols. This directive puts crew and passenger safety at risk by pressuring sick pilots to fly.
The formal complaint to DGCA follows previous training concerns reported by Akasa pilots to the Ministry of Civil Aviation. Aviation A2Z first revealed these issues, exposing operational problems within the airline.
Feature Image by Sandeep Pilania | ATC Spotter | Insta
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