Unsafe skies: Growing threat to air travellers

A parliamentary committee report stating that nearly 50% of passenger aircraft operating in the country have defects has raised serious concerns among air travellers. The committee found that out of 754 aircraft inspected between January 2025 and February this year, 377 had issues. The inspections began after the Ahmedabad plane crash. The highest number of defects was found in IndiGo planes, with 148 out of 405 planes reported to have problems. The situation is not very different for Air India and Air India Express. Out of 166 Air India planes, 137 were found to have defects.

The report also mentions a DGCA audit conducted at Air India between July 1 and July 4, 2025, following the Ahmedabad crash. Around 100 safety lapses, including serious issues, were identified. Air India was fined Rs 1 crore for operating eight planes without valid Airworthiness Review Certificates. The DGCA also issued nine show-cause notices to Air India for safety violations. It is clear that this situation puts passengers' lives at risk. The committee also noted that pilots of Boeing 787 and 777 aircraft have not received adequate training. Lack of proper training among pilots can increase the risk of accidents. The committee has also expressed concern about the capacity of the DGCA, the body that regulates aviation. A shortage of staff could affect the rapidly growing aviation sector. There is also a shortage of cabin crew, with 48.3% of positions currently vacant.

According to initial findings in the Ahmedabad–London Air India crash, the accident occurred because the fuel supply to the engines was cut off seconds after takeoff. The cockpit voice recorder captured a tense conversation between the pilot and co-pilot. One pilot asked why the fuel was cut off, while the other denied doing so. The fuel control switches had moved from the “run” position to the “cut-off” position, causing both engines to stop. Although the pilots switched the controls back to “run” within 10 seconds and one engine restarted, the second engine did not regain enough power for the aircraft to continue flying. This led to the crash that killed 260 people. These details were part of a 15-page preliminary report submitted by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau to the Aviation Ministry.

However, the parliamentary committee report suggests that lessons have not been learned from the Ahmedabad crash. Just yesterday, a passenger aircraft made an emergency landing at Delhi airport. If this trend continues, people may begin to question the safety of air travel. As technology advances, it is the responsibility of authorities to ensure that flying does not become a matter of luck.