Agencies
New Delhi, July 29:
An IndiGo flight was canceled on Thursday reportedly hours after the plane skidded off the runway during the takeoff. The plane had over 90 passengers aboard. This is the latest incident linked to a domestic flight that has sparked concerns. The aviation regulator DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) has taken note of many such incidents in the recent past.
All passengers were safe during the incident, and a team was formed for the probe, the airlines was quoted as saying by news agency ANI, adding that “no abnormalities were found during the initial investigation”.
The flight – which was bound for Kolkata – was apparently scheduled to take off at 2:20 pm but it was finally cancelled at around 8 pm, news agency PTI reported.
“Guwahati Kolkata @indigo flight 6F 757 (6E757) slips from runway and stuck in muddy field in Jorhat airport in Assam. The flight was scheduled to depart at 2.20 pm but the flight delayed after the incident,” read a post on Twitter, prompting response the airline.
“Sir, we’re concerned to hear this and raising this right away with the concerned team. Please share the PNR via DM for the same. We hope you’re well and comfortably travelled to your destination,” IndiGo responded.
On Thursday, the DGCA chief said that “hullabaloo over recent events concerning our airlines is unfortunate.” “An aircraft is a complex machine and has many components… it may continue to be used for air operation subject to compliance of airworthiness requirements,” Arun Kumar, the chief of the regulator body, said. “… diversions, turn-backs, abandoned take-offs, precautionary/priority/emergency landings, missed approaches, technical snags… but which aviation market does not have these issues?”
Also, the regulator said it had taken note of recent incidents. “Based on reports of increased engg (engineering)-related occurrences in scheduled airlines in recent times, DGCA conducted several audit/spot checks,” it was quoted as saying by ANI.
“To address shortfalls, a series of meetings were held with the airlines wherein it was directed that airlines shall make available required type-rated certifying staff at all stations for ensuring that defects are properly rectified before aircraft is released for operations,” it added.
