Airline performance improves in February

Number of passengers affected by delays and cancellations drops by over 3,60,000, despite slight increase in official complaints

In a significant relief for air travellers, airlines' performance has improved compared to January 2024. While the number of passengers remained roughly the same, those affected by issues such as delays or cancellations decreased drastically by 3,66,784, dropping from 5,52,231 in January to 1,85,447 in February. However, the number of official complaints lodged with the DGCA has slightly increased in February. mid-day spoke with DGCA officials and airline staff to uncover the reasons behind this significant decline in affected passengers.

DGCA speaks

DGCA officials explained that the decrease in affected passengers is primarily due to fewer flights being delayed or cancelled. A senior official said, "The number of flights delayed over two hours in February significantly decreased compared to January, resulting in fewer affected passengers, with a difference of 3,27,118."

Furthermore, the reduction in flight cancellations and slight improvements in airlines' on-time performance contributed to the decrease in affected passengers. Another senior DGCA official said, "Despite a similar number of passengers carried by airlines in January and February, the overall performance of airlines has improved. However, the number of official complaints received by the DGCA has seen a slight uptick, with 791 complaints in February compared to 732 in January."

Staffers speak

Airlines staff pointed out that improved weather conditions in Northern India in February played a significant role in reducing operational delays. Additionally, the decrease in operational delays from 3 per cent in January to 2 per cent in February. “Though the number seems small, it has a substantial impact given the daily volume of flights,” said another staffer.

Expert speaks

Aviation expert Captain Mohan Ranganathan emphasised the importance of punctuality for passengers, particularly those with connecting flights. He said, "Delayed flights not only inconvenience passengers but also lead to missed connections and baggage issues, causing frustration and stress."

Captain Ranganathan expressed concern over the imbalance of rules favouring airlines. “Once a boarding pass is issued to a passenger, it is a contract between the passenger and the airline where it is the airline’s responsibility in cases of delays and cancellations,” he said. He criticised the lack of enforcement of CAR and noted that airlines often exploit loopholes to deny refunds passengers. He urged for stricter regulations to protect passengers' rights in such situations.

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