DGCA flags safety lapses in Turkish Airlines operations, directs compliance maintenance

DGCA directed Turkish Airlines to ensure full compliance with aviation standards and regulations

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Wednesday directed Turkish Airlines to ensure full compliance with aviation standards and regulations following inspections of the carrier's passenger and cargo flights at several cities, the civil aviation ministry said on Wednesday.

The directives come following a safety oversight and ramp (SOFA/RAMP) inspection of the Turkish Airlines' passenger and cargo flights in Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Bengaluru by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), according to the statement issued by Ministry of Civil Aviation.

The inspection was conducted from May 29 to June 2, in accordance with Article 16 of the Convention on ICAO International Civil Aviation, it stated, adding that the move was aimed at ensuring compliance with both international and national safety regulations.

"Turkish Airlines has been directed to address these findings promptly and ensure full compliance with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices as well as DGCA regulations," the release said.

The inspections were conducted under Article 16 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (ICAO), these inspections aimed to verify adherence to both international and national safety regulations, Ministry of Civil Aviation said in a statement.

Key Findings Marshaller Competency (Bengaluru)

During the inspection, it was found that the marshaller handling ground operations at Bengaluru airport "lacked authorisation and a valid competency card for marshalling functions", according to the statement.

Aircraft Maintenance (Arrival Procedures)

During the arrival of the aircraft, the aircraft maintenance engineer was unavailable, and the arrival procedure was carried out by a technician instead, the release said, adding that Airworks is the authorised engineering service provider for Turkish Airlines. It noted that the cargo contained dangerous goods, for which permission is required from the DGCA for carrying explosives to/from/over India. However, no such permission was found attached, nor it was mentioned in the Dangerous Goods Declaration, as per the statement.

Dangerous Goods Handling

Inspectors discovered cargo consignments containing dangerous goods requiring explicit DGCA permission for carriage of explosives to, from, or over Indian territory. The necessary permission documentation was neither attached to the cargo manifest nor mentioned in the Dangerous Goods Declaration. Ground Handling Agreement & Equipment Accountability (Hyderabad, Bengaluru) No Formal Service Level Agreement (SLA): Turkish Airlines did not have a written SLA in place with its Ground Handling Agent (GHA) at Hyderabad and Bengaluru.

Equipment Monitoring Lapses:

The inspection, as per the release, also revealed that no Service Level Agreement (SLA) was in place between Turkish Airlines and its Ground Handling Agent (GHA). "Equipment such as ladders, step ladders, trolleys, and ground power units lacked proper accountability and monitoring at Hyderabad and Bengaluru, where Globe Ground India was providing ground services without formal handover from Celebi," the release stated.

DGCA Directive and Next Steps

In response to these findings, the DGCA has directed Turkish Airlines to promptly address all flagged shortcomings. Specifically, the airline must ensure: Marshallers possess valid competency authorization and cards at every station.

Stating that the DGCA emphasises its "unwavering commitment" to ensuring the safety and regulatory compliance of all foreign operators within Indian airspace, the release said, "further follow-up inspections will be conducted as necessary to ensure continuous safety oversight".

Turkiye had taken Pakistan's side during Operation Sindoor, which came in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack in which 26 civilians, most of them tourists, were killed. Subsequently, the Centre revoked security clearance for a Turkish firm -- "Celebi Aviation" -- that took care of operations at nine key Indian airports, including Delhi, citing national security concerns.

Last month, the government asked IndiGo to end its aircraft lease agreement with Turkish Airlines within three months, sending out a big message to the Turkiye government.

*With Agency Inputs