The Aviation Regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has asked Kingfisher Airlines to explain the cancellation of so many flights in the last couple of days without prior sanction. It also asked the airline the kind of arrangements made for the affected passengers.
The airline has cancelled over 70 flights over past three days including nearly 30 on Wednesday itself.
The regulator, on Wednesday, issued a notice under Section 140 A of the Aircraft Rules 1937. This provision stipulates the airlines should give at least a seven day notice to the regulator before making substantial alteration or discontinuation of any existing routes. The notice said that Kingfisher flights have been disrupted since November 7.
This notice recalled the provisions of Civil Aviation Requirements for providing compensation or making alternative arrangement for affected passengers in case of cancellation or delay. The airline is expected to reply to the notice immediately, a senior Government official said.
The airline issued a statement on Tuesday saying that it has reduced frequency of some of its flights which are predominantly over weekends or on some routes where there has been slow demand. For a limited period, these flights are either being cancelled or clubbed with other flights in a well-controlled, pre-determined manner.
The airline is believed to have grounded eight aircraft. In this regard, the airline clarified that it has initiated reconfiguration of its aircraft. This exercise will require few of the aircraft to be out of service for the next few weeks, requiring a temporary modification of some flight schedules. Once the reconfiguration is complete, these aircraft will be pressed back into service immediately, it added.
Meanwhile, the fair monitoring mechanism of the regulator claimed that cancellation of many Kingfisher flights has not resulted in fare increase. Despite the start of the busy season, all other airlines are charging within the laid down tariff schedule, it added.