Hc asks dgca to ensure safety of all Passengers who travel in go air and indigo

Mumbai: The Bombay high court has asked the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Government of India (DGCA) to ensure the safety of all passengers who travel on the aircrafts of private airlines Indigo and Go Air. A petition was filed in the high court seeking immediate grounding of aircraft with defective engines for the safety of passengers. The petition also stated that the DGCA in its February report had stated that aircraft companies should not use such defective engine aircraft in India. The court has asked the DGCA to file an affidavit within a week.

A division bench of Justice Naresh Patil and Justice Girish Kulkarni was hearing a petition filed by was hearing a petition filed by a Mumbai resident Harish Agarwal, seeking appropriate directions to the civil aviation authorities over recent reports that certain Pratt and Whitney company (PW) engines which power A320 neo planes were more susceptible to engine failures.

Senior Counsel of Indigo Company informed the court that in February this year, a European Air Safety Authority (EASA) issued an airworthiness directive for A320 neo planes fitted with PW1100 engines having a particular serial number. As per the directives, the engines, which have serial number 449 and above have safety problems across the world.

"Keeping public safety in mind, we grounded all affected aircraft. The issue is being further examined by the DGCA and by authorities in the United States where such engines are powered,” said Indigo's counsel senior advocate Janak Dwarkadas.