homeaviation NewsSpiceJet declared safe airline by UN agency, Indian aviation sector accorded its highest ever safety rank
SpiceJet declared safe airline by UN agency, Indian aviation sector accorded its highest ever safety rank
Domestic airline SpiceJet said its operations, safety processes and systems were found to be in order following an audit conducted by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).
Domestic airline SpiceJet on Monday said its operations, safety processes and systems were found to be in order following an audit conducted by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). “SpiceJet was the only scheduled Indian airline part of the audit conducted by ICAO under the Universal Safety Oversight Audit Programme (USOAP) Continuous Monitoring Approach. The audit of SpiceJet safety systems helped India achieve its highest ever safety ranking in ICAO audit,” the carrier said in a statement.
This comes as ICAO has accorded India the 48th rank in 2022, up from 102 in 2018. ICAO is a specialised agency of the United Nations to promote the safe and orderly development of international civil aviation worldwide.
Congratulations to all the stakeholders for this incredible feat!
With tighter oversight & improved standards, Indian aviation is leaving no stone unturned to ensure passenger safety & security. Big ups @DGCAIndia @MoCA_GoI !1/2 pic.twitter.com/ZqZFdfkaG4— Jyotiraditya M. Scindia (@JM_Scindia) December 5, 2022
The ICAO Auditing Committee visited the SpiceJet head office, where all SpiceJet flights are controlled, and the SpiceJet flight dispatch offices at the Delhi airport on November 14. The airline said that the UN audited and reviewed various flight critical functions and operational areas such as flight planning, weather assessment, route planning, aircraft serviceability, operations to critical airports, pilot rostering systems, cabin safety procedures, etc.
Ajay Singh, Chairman and Managing Director of SpiceJet, noted that following the ICAO audit, its safety culture, systems, processes and operations were found to be in order and at par with the global best practices and safety standards.
“We are proud that SpiceJet was the only scheduled Indian airline to undergo validation checks by ICAO in this audit. SpiceJet is truly humbled at playing a role in India achieving the highest ever safety ranking and making it to the top 50 nations in terms of ICAO aviation safety audit scores,” he said.
SpiceJet chairman also credited Civil Aviation Minister Jyotiraditya M Scindia’s leadership and efforts for India’s best-ever performance in the ICAO audit.
According to the airline’s statement, India’s effective implementation (EI) is now reportedly 100 percent up from 90.48 percent in 2018 in the field of primary aviation legislation and specific operating regulations.
SpiceJet has been running 17 years and has flown with the highest passenger load factor in Indian skies for a record seven years. Starting in April 2015, SpiceJet has recorded the highest occupancy among all Indian domestic airlines – a feat unparalleled in global aviation, it said.
The airline added that it holds the distinction of having flown with a passenger load factor (PLF) of more than 90 percent for a record 58 consecutive months.
The ICAO audit development comes days after aviation consultancy firm CAPA said in November that more than 75 planes of Indian carriers were grounded due to maintenance and engine-related issues. "These will have a significant impact on financials in the second half," CAPA said in its India Mid-Year Outlook 2023 released November 1.
However, none of the domestic airlines, including two listed companies — IndiGo and SpiceJet — had by then made any public announcement on the grounding of the planes.
First Published: Dec 5, 2022 11:23 AM IST
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