A Wake-Up Call from the Skies: Rethinking Aviation Safety in India
The recent crash of an Air India-operated Boeing Dreamliner in Ahmedabad, which tragically claimed over 250 lives—including passengers and civilians on the ground—is far more than an unfortunate incident. It’s a catastrophic event that underscores critical gaps in India’s civil aviation safety framework—gaps that, perhaps, could have been prevented or at the least minimized.
While the technical causes of the crash are best left to aviation experts and investigators, it is important to reflect on the systemic issues that continue to compromise air safety in India.
A Grim Reminder of Systemic Flaws
India’s aviation sector is expanding rapidly, with over half a million people flying each day. However, this growth highlights the fragility of our safety systems. A single failure exposes deep vulnerabilities in regulation, oversight, and infrastructure.
Globally, civil aviation is a booming industry, valued at around $800 billion (₹66 lakh crore). India’s market, though relatively smaller at ₹1.5 to ₹2 lakh crore, is witnessing exponential growth. Today, more than 15 domestic airlines operate over 750 aircraft, connecting cities and regions across the country. Yet, our safety infrastructure has not kept pace with this expansion.
Safety: The Missing Piece in India’s Aviation Puzzle
India has a troubling record when it comes to adhering to safety norms. One of the most concerning issues is the behavioural aspect—noncompliance with basic safety rules among both personnel and passengers.
Critical shortcomings include:
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Pilot fatigue due to overloaded schedules
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Inadequate maintenance of aging aircraft
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Poor training of ground staff and emergency responders
Overstretched aviation regulators like the DGCA, which lack adequate funding and independence
Safety: A Shared Responsibility
Passenger safety is not a privilege—it is a fundamental legal and moral obligation shared by airline operators, airport authorities, regulators, maintenance crews, and passengers alike. Airlines cannot pursue profitability at the cost of lives.
India’s aviation boom is driven by increased airport access in smaller cities, digital ticketing, rising disposable income, and competitive fares. But this growth has outpaced essential investments in safety infrastructure, crew training, maintenance checks, and emergency response systems.
Unpacking the Causes of the Crash
Many aviation accidents in India reveal familiar patterns:
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Pilot fatigue from overloaded rosters.
Technical failures due to neglected aircraft maintenance.
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Inadequate training of ground personnel and first responders.
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Weak regulatory oversight, with bodies like DGCA lacking power and resources.
Emergency units at Indian airports are not necessarily understaffed—but often undertrained. If baggage handling takes over an hour, how can we expect a swift medical or emergency response? Glossy advertisements promising “world-class service” fall flat in the face of such inefficiencies.
Reforming the Aviation Safety Ecosystem
The responsibility for ensuring safe skies doesn’t lie with private airlines alone. The Indian government must take decisive action to strengthen regulatory oversight and operational readiness. A strong and independent aviation safety regime is long overdue.
Key reforms needed:
- Creation of an independent National Aviation Safety Authority with full autonomy and no political or commercial influence
- Mandatory annual safety audits for all airlines, with findings published transparently
- Strict duty-hour regulations to combat pilot and crew fatigue
- Pre-flight transparency—passengers should have access to aircraft maintenance records
- Efficient and fair compensation policies for victims and their families
Role of Passengers
Passengers must also share the burden of responsibility. Unsafe behavior is rampant—mobile phones left on, seat belts ignored, and safety instructions dismissed. This mirrors a broader cultural disregard for safety, evident on roads as well. Awareness and discipline among travelers can create pressure on authorities and service providers to improve standards.
Beyond Mourning—Towards Meaningful Action
Mourning the victims is not enough. It is time for tangible action. Soaring air traffic and economic growth mean nothing if the skies aren’t safe. We must move beyond celebrating passenger statistics and begin prioritizing robust safety mechanisms.
India’s aviation journey must now shift focus—from expansion to protection. Only then can the dream of flying safely become a reality for all.
Excellent analysis
ReplyDeleteThank you for your comment.
DeleteSir as you said in the article indian aviation indusrty grown multifolds but many companies disappered by making huge loss
ReplyDeleteIn early 90 s indian domestic flight was expensive ..thanks to capitian mohandas to bring low cost airlines air deccan and therefore now the more depandant train journey stopped
In the reforms you mentioned airlines to share the maintenace inspections document to passengers how it is possible .
Coming days & years air travel will increase rapidly...in india ..if airlines and public paasengers cannot bring reforms there will be a uncertainty on flight accidents
Making profit in an airline is pretty tough. However, In India, the problem is, the number of ground staff. If the global airlines operate at 5~20 ground staff per passenger, in India, it averages between 30~50. Yet, the services are poor. This is a huge burden. Airlines have to cut corners to minimize their costs. Not all aircrafts fly at 90% occupancy rate. Hardly they do and only in particular routes. Fuel rate is volatile. In the 90s, when East West Airlines or Sahara operated, Apex fares were not there. They went the traditional way. Every aircraft had 3 to 5 ovens that added weight, consumed fuel - which are all zero now. This itself saves 1000s of crores of rupees per annum. Operational Excellence is not known in Indian Aviation Industry. I mentioned that Passengers shoudl have the access to maintenance records - not that they ahve to approve for every journey. Just like PIL, they can have a methodology to access at random. We can make it possible. Number of flights have increased, turbulence is quite common in every route, air is becoming thinner in days due to heat and hence night travelling is preferred - Yes, we have problems but we have the technology too to overcome them but the most important factor is the Motivation to do that. SAFETY cannot be ignored. S- Study the pattern; A-Analyze the root causes; F- Find out the countermeasures; E-Evaluate the countermeasures; T- Try out and Test; Y- Say YES to Safe travel.
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