India’s aviation authority, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has started an audit into all Indian airlines.
The audit is initiated by the DGCA to ensure that all safety regulations are followed by the airlines, many of which are cutting back on costs and laying off staff. Air India and SpiceJet will be investigated first, as the order in which the audit is conducted is based on the airlines’ financial strength.
The investigation follows not only the financial difficulties resulting from the coronavirus pandemic, however. There have been a number of incidents involving Indian airlines recently. Earlier this month, an Air India Express Boeing 737 crashed while landing at Calicut Airport. The aircraft is said to have landed at high speed and only after passing over a thousand meters of runway, leaving too little space to come to a complete hold. SpiceJet has recently been involved in a number of incidents as well. As the airline expands into long haul operations, safety standards are being reviewed.