DGCA Aviation regulator issues safety guidelines for ground handling service providers latest news

In light of the country's growing airline space, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Tuesday issued certain guidelines aimed at ensuring a convenient experience and improved aviation handling for passengers at airports. "Taking into account the phenomenal growth of aircraft movements, the corresponding increase in complexity of ground operations and the proliferation of third-party ground handling services, it has become imperative to establish safety standards for ground handling service providers (GHSPs) involved in ground operations of aircrafts at Indian airports, an area which was hitherto uncovered under any existing regulations," the DGCA said in a statement. 

Here are 10 key takeaways from the civil aviation regulator's guidelines. 

• Ground handling agencies are a critical element of the airport aviation ecosystem. 
• The safety, efficiency and reliability of flight operations are dependent on the safe and efficacious functioning of ground handling agencies.
• The DGCA's Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) Section 4 Series X Part II guidelines, released on July 8, prescribe the framework for safe operations by ground handling service providers (GHSPs) after an extensive consultation process with all stakeholders.
• The implementation of these instructions will standardise the requirements across the ground handling agencies (GHAs) and strengthen the oversight mechanism.
• CAR also specifies the training and competency requirements of ground personnel who play a pivotal role in safe and efficient ground operations at airports.
• GHAs have been given a time frame of six months to comply with the provisions of this CAR. 
• The robust safety mechanism to be implemented prospectively by the GHSPs will help in the prevention and mitigation of ground incidents at the airport. 

The DGCA primarily deals with safety issues in the country's civil aviation space. Responsible for regulating of air transport services to, from and within the country, and for the enforcement of civil air regulations, air safety, and airworthiness standards, the DGCA also co-ordinates all regulatory functions with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).