Publicity over safety? 76% Indian flyers think airlines focus more on ads

A majority of airline passengers in India believe that airlines are spending more on publicity than on safety. 76% of respondents said they believe many airlines focus more on advertising than ensuring passenger safety.

Additionally, 64% of passengers said they have experienced at least one difficult or rough flight in the past three years, either due to flights being diverted or returning to base due to technical or weather issues or due to the flight getting aborted, according to a survey conducted by LocalCircles. 

The findings come when questions are being raised about aviation safety in the country due to a spate of incidents. On July 21, Air India flight AI 2744 from Kochi skidded off the Mumbai runway during landing. All passengers were safe, but the incident caused damage to the aircraft and runway infrastructure.

The Air India Boeing 787 crash in Ahmedabad on June 12, which killed 260 people, remains under investigation. Officials are looking into whether fuel cutoff switches were turned off due to human error or a technical fault.

Following the incident, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ordered inspections of Boeing aircraft and related components. The regulator also highlighted lapses in airline maintenance and airport operations in its recent inspections.

At a parliamentary panel meeting, questions were raised about DGCA’s staffing and oversight capacity. Nearly half of its sanctioned posts are currently vacant. Members also raised concerns about overburdened air traffic controllers and ongoing complaints against Air India, such as broken seats and malfunctioning air conditioning.

LocalCircles’ survey also showed that 75% of respondents who reported rough flights experienced problems on more than half of their journeys. The DGCA has directed airlines and airports to take steps to improve safety, including runway checks, better lighting, and training of ground staff.

The survey results highlight growing passenger concerns around flight safety and the need for better regulation.