IndiGo revises snags data; number soars to 14,628 from 340

The country’s biggest airline, IndiGo, revised the number of snags more than 40 times it initially reported to Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in 2017, after rival airlines questioned the figures that it had provided as being too low, said a report. 
 
IndiGo told the DGCA in July that these now stand at 14,628, up from the 340 it had filed previously, said an Economic Times report, adding that the airline said this was because the regulator had asked it to be stricter in reporting glitches. 
 
Earlier in March, Aviation minister Jayant Sinha had told the Rajya Sabha that airlines in India reported 24,791 defects in 2017. Of these, IndiGo, with a fleet of 151 aircrafts by end of 2017, reported 340 snags, which were lower than those reported by GoAir, Vistara and AirAsia with fleet sizes (at the end of 2017) of 32, 17 and 14 aircrafts, respectively. 
 
According to the ET report, the new data provided by IndiGo shows a 36% rise from 10,738 snags in 2016, while many IndiGo flights also witnessed many glitches in 2017. Several of IndiGo’s brand new Airbus 320 neo planes were grounded because their Pratt & Whitney engines reportedly failed to function as specified. 
 
“If there is a discrepancy, we will look into the issue and find out the reason for it in the data shared by the airline,” director general of civil aviation BS Bhullar told ET. 
 
IndiGo told ET that the number had risen because DGCA had asked it to set a more stringent threshold for glitches, and its spokesperson added, “These 340 snags caused delays of more than 15 minutes. DGCA reverted, seeking the total number of pilot-reported snags, irrespective of having caused a delay.” 
 
“Subsequently, the required information was given to DGCA on December 19, 2017,” a day after it had provided the 340 figure, IndiGo spokesperson reportedly said, reiterating that it adheres to all safety rules as stipulated by the regulator. 
 
“All procedures are in place to minimise technical delays and the fleet is operating with one of the highest Technical Dispatch Reliability (TDR) globally,” the spokesperson further told ET. IndiGo, however, avoided comment on the difference between the March and July numbers. 
 
Meanwhile, the executive of a rival airline reportedly said that the broader question is about the data collection method followed by the regulator. 
 
“Almost all data with respect to airlines including load factors, passenger complaints, among others are self-reported by the airlines and the veracity of this is rarely questioned by the regulator,” the executive told ET, speaking on the condition of anonimity. “This makes the data unreliable and the regulator should work on ensuring that such concerns are addressed,” he added. 
 
Notably, the data reported by IndiGo in March were challenged by Jet Airways, SpiceJet and Vistara, and the chief executives of these airlines reportedly wrote to the DGCA conveying their misgivings, without naming the carrier. 

Watch this Zee Business video

 
Since India is one of the world’s fastest-growing airline markets with passengers having risen to 117 million in 2017 from 99.8 million in 2016, Air travel is set to boom in the next decade or so, encouraging Indian carriers to place orders for 1,051 planes in the next eight years.