New Delhi: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the country’s aviation regulator, has imposed strict rules for foreign airlines, making it mandatory for them to seek formal landing permission.
As per the new rules, an airline must be designated by the government of its country in accordance with the bilateral Air Services Agreement concluded between the government of that country and the Indian government. The designation shall be made through diplomatic channels.
After the designation, the airline shall register itself on e-governance of civil aviation portal for submission of its application(s) to operate scheduled air services to and from India by providing details and documents like the legal name of the airline and authenticated copy of its Incorporation certificate, the registered and foreign correspondence address of the airline. Name, valid contact number, valid email of airline’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and of the person responsible for all matters of the airline in India, are also must.
Application to be submitted 90 days in advance
As per the new DGCA rules, an airline is required to submit the application for operating authorisation at least 90 days before the flight commences, along with complete aircraft specifications, information on accidents in the past five years, and details of maintenance and ground handling arrangements in India.
“After an airline has been designated and completion of its registration on portal, it shall submit an application for grant of Operating Authorisation at least 90 days prior to the proposed date of commencement of the air services,” the DGCA said.
Permission to be granted for maximum 5 years
The validity of the operating authorisation shall be for a period not exceeding five years. If any deficiencies in safety standards or violations of ownership regulations are found, the authorisation may be immediately suspended or revoked.
The operating authorisation granted to an airline will be revoked or suspended if safety standards or aviation security are not being properly maintained or the designated airline fails to comply with the Indian laws and regulation.
Permission cancelled if no flight for 4 seasons
The DGCA’s new rules also state that if an airline fails to operate scheduled air services to/from a particular airport(s) in India for four consecutive IATA traffic seasons, the operating authorisation granted to the airline for that specific airport(s) shall be deemed to be suspended with immediate effect. The designated airline shall submit the application for deletion of such airport(s) from its operating authorisation, failing which the operating authorisation granted to it may be revoked or suspended. Airlines must also secure slots and submit flight schedules to the DGCA at least 30 days in advance.
The DGCA has also directed foreign airlines to establish and maintain an effective Passenger Grievance Redressal Mechanism (PGRM) and ensure that all passenger complaints, disputes, or operational discrepancies are addressed promptly, fairly, and transparently.