MUMBAI: Pilots' grouping ALPA India on Friday urged the civil aviation ministry and regulator DGCA to suspend flight operations into high-risk conflict zones till a centralised risk assessment is carried out amid the escalating West Asia crisis.
Stressing the need for having war-risk insurance, it also said the watchdog should mandate immediate disclosure and verification of valid insurance coverage, including war-risk clauses, for all crew operating into or near conflict zones.
The Middle East conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran has significantly disrupted flight operations, and airlines have curtailed their services.
In a letter to DGCA, Airline Pilots' Association of India (ALPA India) said commercial airlines do not possess the requisite intelligence, surveillance capabilities, or geopolitical risk assessment infrastructure necessary to adequately evaluate threats in active conflict environments.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) should immediately review and suspend operations into identified high-risk conflict zones until a centralised and authoritative risk assessment is conducted, especially in light of the worsening situation, ALPA India said.
It also urged the watchdog to establish clear, binding directives regarding operations in conflict regions, aligned with international best practices and based on intelligence inputs.
A thorough inquiry should be initiated "into the decision-making processes within Air India, particularly the roles of the Vice President – Operations and the Crew Scheduling Department, to determine accountability for exposing crew and passengers to such risks, particularly if found not to have adequate war risk insurance," the letter said.
On March 18, ALPA India also sought measures for war-risk insurance coverage for the crew and passengers.