Air India Issues New Guidelines After Multiple Long Delays on Long-Haul Flights

In the past 15 days, there have been three instances in which the ultra-long-haul flights of Air India were delayed by more than 24 hours. First the Mumbai to San Francisco flight, then Delhi to San Francisco, and the final one between Delhi and Vancouver. Even DGCA has called out the airline stating that it is failing to take care of passengers.

Now, in order to reduce the chances of such incidents, Air India has issued new guidelines.

Air India: New Guidelines Issued

During the recent lengthy delays, many passengers especially older citizens fainted because of immense heat. The airline management has now instructed the cabin crew members to make sure that planes are prepared for the high temperatures in India.

 

These guidelines were issued on June 1. Under these guidelines, the cabin crew members have to set the cabin temperature to 22 degrees. They will allow boarding only when the temperature drops down below 25 degrees Celsius. Also, cabin crew members have been asked to open the air vents before boarding.

With temperatures down to 25 degrees, the cabin will remain cooler and more comfortable. This will help prevent health issues related to heat, ensuring passengers do not have to endure extreme temperatures while waiting inside the aircraft.

To maintain the temperature, the crew must ensure that the service doors are not left open, if the catering is not in the progress. In case the temperature is not as required, the boarding clearance will depend on the Pilot in Command’s (PIC) call. 

The Long Delays Could Have Been Avoided

A senior Air India official while talking to the Hindu Business Line said that the 30-hour delay onboard the Delhi to San Francisco flight could have been handled more efficiently. The Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) of the Boeing 777 was not functional. When on the ground, the APU powers the air conditioning. As a result of a non-functional APU, the air conditioning was not working.

As a result of this, the aircraft was taken to a remote bay and connected to a Ground Power Unit (GPU), but it was not powerful enough to cool down the aircraft.

 

When the aircraft was uncomfortably hot, the staff made a wrong call and started boarding the passengers. Then, a change in the runway restricted the flight payload. The aircraft was brought back for refueling. Some passengers decided not to travel and asked for offloading of their baggage. The senior official said that the incident could have been handled in a better way.

Aviation watchdog DGCA had issued a show-cause notice to Air India regarding these incidents. In the notice, the airline has been accused of violating various CARs. It has been asked the reason why action should not be taken against it.

Conclusion

After three long delays involving ultra-long-haul flights, Air India has changed its guidelines and issued some new rules. Now, the cabin crew members have been asked to board the passengers, only when the cabin temperature drops down to 25 degrees Celsius. A senior official said that these delays could have been avoided.

What do you think about this change in policy? Discuss in the comment section.