Air India has been banned from transporting hazardous goods to and from Delhi for 15 days after its cargo facilities failed a safety check.
Hazardous goods licence temporarily revoked
India’s aviation authority, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), have banned Air India from carrying hazardous goods for a fortnight after a recent audit determined their cargo facilities to be unsatisfactory. Hazardous goods include things such as flammable items and radioactive materials, or even batteries. The ban was implemented on 7 April and will last until the 23rd.
The DGCA listed a number of areas in which the airline’s main cargo base in Delhi failed to live up to ICAO standards. Sources for the Times of India stated that the hub did not have enough storage space to separate hazardous and non-hazardous materials and could not produce an emergency management system or ground emergency drill, among other issues. Additionally, the facility lacked staff who could handle non-dangerous goods. The airline is expected to address all of these issues before they can continue flying hazardous goods.
Air India’s turnaround efforts
We can expect to see Air India work hard to address these issues with their cargo operations. The loss-making airline was obtained by the Tata group earlier this year, who has vowed to turn it into a world-class airline. The flag carrier was formerly owned by the government, which in January sold 100% of its shares to the Tatas, the original founders of the airline. The airline is currently in the middle of a 100-day turnaround plan that aims to usher in a bright new future for the flag carrier.
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