NEW DELHI: Days after US aviation regulator FAA downgraded India's aviation safety ranking, its Singaporean counterpart CAAS has announced heightened inspection of Indian aircraft operating there. However, CAAS has not yet imposed any restriction on Indian carriers flying to Singapore.
CAAS is also evaluating safety information from other aviation authorities, such as the outcomes of the audits they conducted.“Following the FAA's recent decision to downgrade India to Category-II under its IASA (International Aviation Safety Assessment) programme, CAAS has stepped up ramp inspections on the aircraft of Indian carriers operating in Singapore,” CAAS said in a statement.Air India, IndiGo and Jet Airways operate flights to Singapore.
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, or FAA, downgraded India’s aviation-safety ranking to Category 2 from Category 1 on Jan. 31, citing inadequate oversight by local regulators.The decision comes after months of warnings by U.S. officials and despite last-minute efforts by the Indian government to beef up its force of inspectors. It is an unusual public rebuke that effectively bars India’s fast-growing airline industry from increasing service to American cities and could serve as a potentially significant economic setback for the country’s airline business.Air traffic has grown in India by more than 50% since 2009, which was also when the FAA first raised concerns about India’s aviation safety, according to a study published by CAPA – Centre for Aviation on Tuesday.
