Char Dham helicopter operators threaten to suspend flights over two-pilot rule
Operators call the DGCA's directive financially unviable and want it reviewed before they resume charter services.
Key facts
Story- Char Dham helicopter operators have threatened to suspend charter flights over a two-pilot rule.
- The rule is a directive from the aviation regulator, the DGCA, issued after a crash.
- Operators describe the requirement as financially unviable and want the matter reviewed.
Helicopter operators serving the Char Dham pilgrimage circuit in Uttarakhand have threatened to suspend their charter services over a new directive requiring two pilots on board. The operators announced the proposal on Sunday, 1 November, and say the requirement is financially unviable.
The operators oppose the directive from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India's aviation regulator. They said they will halt charter flights until the requirement is reviewed. It is not yet known how many operators have joined the proposal or on which date a suspension would begin.
The directive came after a crash, and the operators' protest followed on 2 November. Industry reaction has since focused on the cost of carrying a second pilot on every flight. The cost figures the operators have raised have not been specified, and the regulator's response to the protest is not known.
The Char Dham circuit links four Himalayan shrine sites and draws large numbers of pilgrims each year. Helicopter charters are a common way for pilgrims, especially elderly visitors, to cover the steep routes. Any suspension would therefore affect travel plans for pilgrims who depend on these services.
It is not yet known whether the DGCA will revise the rule or hold to it. It has not been stated whether talks between the regulator and the operators are scheduled.
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