PIL Filed In Supreme Court For Grounding Of Air India’s Boeing Fleet Till Safety Clearance
In the wake of the tragic Air India plane crash that took place in Ahmedabad on June 12, claiming 270 lives, a public interest litigation has been file before the Supreme Court seeking suspension of the airlines’ Boeing fleet till appropriate safety and security audits are conducted.
The PIL, filed by Advocate Ajay Bansal, alleges that the Aircraft Act, 1934, the Aircraft Rules, 1937, and civil aviation requirements are not being adhered to by commercial airlines. It seeks surprise safety audits across the entire Air India fleet and other commercial airlines operating in the country.
The findings of such audits should be made public and penalties imposed for non-compliance with relevant rules, the petitioner says. He further seeks laying down of guidelines for safety and periodic checks of aircraft engines, airframes and cabin systems.
“Air India’s service and safety failures jeopardise passenger lives and comfort, contravene DGCA safety audits, and breach statutory duties under Section 5 & 7 of the Aircraft Act, 1934” claims the petition.
In support of the contentions, it cites findings from a Directorate General of Civil Aviation inspection report, as per which Air India was found to have falsified internal safety audit records.
Notably, the petitioner recounts in the petition his own unsatisfactory experience in the business class of an Air India flight he took on May 20 from Delhi to Chicago. He contends that the seats did not recline properly, the in-flight entertainment systems were not working, and the air conditioning system was ineffective. Despite a formal complaint, it is alleged that the airline offered a compensation of only Rs.10,000.
Pointing to repeated technical lapses in Air India planes and social media posts complaining about the same, the petition adds that the June 12 crash, involving an 11-year-old Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, was not an isolated tragedy, “but the consequence of chronic neglect, regulatory laxity, and an airline culture that has prioritised operational expedience over passenger safety”.
In related news, two doctors have written a letter to the Chief Justice of India seeking suo motu action by the Supreme Court with respect to the Ahmedabad plane crash. This letter seeks directions to the Central Government to disburse compensation to the victims at the earliest and a thorough investigation to ascertain the cause of the crash.
Related – Air India Flight Crash At Ahmedabad : Law On Victim Compensation Explained
