Flight safety på den indiske måten

India warns FAA over air safety downgrade

India has warned the US to expect retaliation if the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) downgrades the former's air safety rankings. Retaliatory action could include a year's embargo on the delivery of Boeing Co.'s 787 Dreamliner aircraft to Air India Ltd. The FAA has decided to inspect Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) next month, again, for compliance with corrective measures on 33 deficiencies that came to light in a September 2013 audit of the Indian regulator.

It could possibly downgrade India's safety rankings to category II from category I after the audit. A category II safety rating means the civil aviation authority does not comply with International Civil Aviation Organization standards and is deficient in one or more areas, such as technical expertise, trained personnel and record-keeping, or inspection procedures, according to FAA.

Indian airlines will not be able to increase flights to the US and additional checks will be imposed on existing flights of Air India and Jet Airways (India) Ltd if a downgrade takes place. It may also hurt airlines like Singapore Airlines Ltd and AirAsia Bhd that have proposed joint ventures with Tata Sons Ltd and may want to fly to the US.

"There will be an equal and befitting response, which will include a one-year ban on delivery of any new Boeing Dreamliners for Air India," said an official, as per a report in Mint by Tarun Shukla.