IndiGo says DGCA survey won't impact expansion

Budget carrier IndiGo on Tuesday said that the safety and finance surveillance by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will not have an impact on its expansion plans, even as the ailing Kingfisher Airlines told the regulator that it would resume full-scale operations by the end of this year.

Addressing journalists in the backdrop of being pulled up by the DGCA on the issue of safety, IndiGo President Aditya Ghosh said the airline had responded to all the queries raised by the regulator. “I believe I have been able to convince the DGCA on all issues which it had raised,” he remarked.

The DGCA, it is learnt, will hold another meeting with all the airlines on the issue of flight operation’s quality assurance on January 13.

The operators will submit their flight data analysis at the meeting.
He maintained that what had appeared in the media was what the DGCA prepared early in December, 2011.

“But we have responded to that point-by-point and I am sure, there are no issues left for the DGCA regarding the safety or financial issues,” Ghosh said, noting that his was the only profit making airline in the country for this fiscal year.

On the issue of the apprehensions raised by DGCA over IndiGo’s rapid fleet expansion plan - the airline placed orders for 100 Airbus A-320 planes in 2005 and another 150 last year - Ghosh exuded confidence that it wouldn’t be hit. “We currently have a fleet of 48 planes which will go up to 60 by this year-end.”

The financial surveillance carried out by the DGCA had recently raised several questions on IndiGo’s safety record and suggested a review of its rapid fleet expansion plans.