Airlines taking off from Mumbai score low on punctuality: DGCA report

Domestic airlines have the worst figures in punctuality in Mumbai.

According to Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) data on flight movement at the four metro airports of the country, Indian carriers have had the worst On Time Performance (OTP) in Mumbai.

An OTP is measured by comparing the time when an aircraft takes off called block time and the scheduled arrival time.

According to the regulator’s October report, Air India’s OTP for Mumbai was 64.8%, Jet Airways was recorded as 56.9%, SpiceJet 70.05 %, GoAir 60.6%, Indigo 69% and Vistara 62.5% making it the worst for the airlines, compared to their operations at Bangalore, Hyderabad and Delhi airports.

The highest OTP for these airlines was recorded to be 83.5% in Delhi, 79.5% in Bangalore, 87.5% in Delhi, 91.1% in Hyderabad, 90.0% in Hyderabad and 79.1% in Bangalore respectively.

A senior official from DGCA said, “Wrong block time by the airlines leads to confusion in the OTP. Thirty percent of the flights from the city operate on other flight slots, thus affecting the airport’s packed schedule.”

Recent reports said the Ministry of civil aviation found airlines blame air traffic control for the delays. “Airlines block total time taken by an aircraft to push back for departure to reaching the terminal gate. Hence, they book a wrong block time,” said a DGCA official.

Mumbai International Airports Limited (MIAL) could not be reached for a comment.

A senior official said, “Wrong allotment of flights is also a concern. If three flights are given same time of departure, the airline’s OTP is bound to be affected. Hence a minute-by-minute allotment of slots is needed at the Mumbai airport.”

Aviation safety expert Mohan Ranganathan said, “Airlines have started declaring inflated time taken for their aircraft to de-board passengers. The airport operator and airlines need to work together on the situation.”