DGCA Terminates 4 Flight Operations Inspectors Amid IndiGo Crisis - Who Are They?

New Delhi: Aviation watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday terminated four Flight Operations Inspectors (FOIs) days after IndiGo 's worst operational crisis in history. The aviation

regulator found out massive disruptions in airline's operations, which resulted in the cancellation of thousands of flights and lakhs of people getting stranded across major airports in the country.

Who Are The Suspended Officials:

• Rish Raj Chatterjee Consultant, Dy. CFOI
• Seema Jhamnani, SFOI
• Anil Kumar Pokhariyal, Consultant FOI
• Priyam Kaushik, Consultant FOI

What Is The Role of FOI Officials?

FOIs are senior officials within the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, working as part of its regulatory and safety oversight functions, often deployed to monitor airline operations."Four Flight Operations Inspectors (FOIs) at the DGCA have been suspended in connection with the recent large-scale disruptions in IndiGo’s flights," a source said.ALSO READ | IndiGo Chaos: Why India Can’t Freeze Airfares for an Entire Year - Aviation Minister Explains in Parliament These officials ensure aviation safety by inspecting, auditing, and certifying airlines and personnel, such as pilots, dispatchers,and cabin crew, to meet strict regulatory standards, verifying various regulations and overseeing training, flight standards, and accident prevention measures in India.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aApi0FUVkV8

How Many IndiGo Flights Cancelled on Friday

IndiGo has cancelled 54 flights -- 31 arrivals and 23 departures -- from Bengaluru Airport on Friday, a source said.The crisis-hit airline had cancelled over 200 flights from Delhi and Bengaluru on Thursday.The DGCA on Thursday stepped up scrutiny of the crisis-hit IndiGo, with officials stationing themselves at the carrier's headquarters to monitor operations, and an inquiry panel grilled CEO Pieter Elbers.Elbers, who appeared before the DGCA-constituted inquiry panel on Thursday, was asked to appear again on Friday.ALSO READ |Hit by Cancellations? IndiGo Offers Rs 10,000 Travel Vouchers to 'Severely Impacted' PassengersThe four-member panel comprises Joint Director General Sanjay Brahamane, Deputy Director General Amit Gupta, senior Flight Operations Inspector Kapil Manglik, and FOI Lokesh Rampal, with a mandate to identify the root causes of widespread operational disruptions at the leading domestic carrier.The committee's mandate includes assessing manpower planning, fluctuating rostering systems, and the airline's preparedness to implement the latest duty period and rest norms for pilots, which came into effect from November 1 this year.With inputs from PTI