With massive growth projected in India's aviation sector, an adequately staffed regulatory body is needed to keep air travel safe and efficient. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India's aviation watchdog, realizes the potential workload it will face in the coming years and wants to have a strong workforce to carry out its duties effectively.

More employees needed

The DGCA is looking to expand its workforce by hiring 1,000 employees by 2030. The regulator is keeping a far-sighted approach in its hiring process as it realizes the need to keep up with India's rapidly growing fleet size. A report by Mint quotes two senior officials as saying,

“The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has set a target to increase its technical staff count by 1,000 employees by 2030, to 1,600-1,700, from its current strength of nearly 650 people.”

Air India Airbus A319
Photo: BoeingMan777 | Shutterstock

India is projected to add 100 aircraft annually as airlines look to expand business. The country is already approaching pre-pandemic levels, with millions taking to the skies every month. The DGCA needs more staff to bolster its surveillance capabilities and maintain a good safety record in the country, as the skies will only get busier in the coming years.

Increased workload

For a good portion of last year, the DGCA was busy dealing with several issues related to flight safety and fleet airworthiness. Government data reveals that more than 450 technical snags were reported between July 1st, 2021 and June 30th, 2022.

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It conducted a two-month special audit of all Indian airlines to check everything, from the availability of trained, experienced, and authorized staff to the maintenance record-keeping of all aircraft. It also performed checks on more than 250 aircraft across the country after passengers complained about the shoddy conditions of the interiors of several airplanes. Sources have told Mint:

“There was a rise in occurrences of technical glitches in 2022. The regulator and civil aviation ministry both recognise that while civil aviation norms are in place, enforcement by airlines is sometimes not up to the mark. As a result, effective monitoring is required and hiring more people for the job is part of the solution.”

Aircraft parked at Delhi airport
Photo: Media_works | Shutterstock

New rule

While the issue of adequate workforce will resolve gradually over the next seven years, the DGCA continues to keep airlines in check. It recently announced new norms to compensate passengers who are downgraded involuntarily from one cabin class to the other.

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The move comes after several passengers have reported in the recent past about airlines making them fly economy class despite holding tickets for a premium cabin. In case the downgrade takes place on a domestic flight, passengers are eligible for a 75% ticket value, including taxes, from the carrier.

Air India 787
Photo: Vytautas Kielaitis I Shutterstock.

For international flights, a passenger can demand 30% of the ticket's cost, including taxes, for flights of up to 1,500 kilometers, and 50% for flights between 1,500 and 3,500 kilometers.

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Source: Mint