New Delhi, March 11 (NationPress) The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has put forward a proposal aimed at enhancing the regulations for foreign airlines that operate in and out of India. This includes necessities such as mandatory digital registration, reinforced legal accountability for local representatives, and the establishment of a formal system for reporting passenger grievances.

On Wednesday, the DGCA released a draft aeronautical information circular designed to bolster the civil aviation regulator's oversight of foreign carriers.

This initiative encompasses a transition to a digital-first compliance approach via the eGovernance of Civil Aviation (eGCA) portal, which serves as the DGCA's online platform for licensing, approvals, and regulatory submissions.

As per the proposed structure, foreign airlines will be required to secure unique login credentials by submitting verified documentation regarding their incorporation and operational approvals.

Access to the portal will only be granted once the regulator validates the credentials and qualifications of the airline's designated local representative in India.

The draft circular aims to increase the accountability of the airline's local representative. According to the suggested rules, the representative must either be an Indian citizen or a registered Indian entity and will be charged with ensuring compliance with regulations on behalf of the airline.

The proposal mandates that the representative report any aviation-related incidents to the DGCA within four hours, keep the information on the eGCA portal updated at all times, and ensure that any changes in representation are made within specified timelines. For the first time, the framework would also render the airline legally liable for any breaches committed by its local representative.

The airline will be accountable for all actions or omissions performed by the local representative concerning its responsibilities and must promptly replace the representative if frequent lapses are noted by either the airline or the DGCA.

The draft further introduces a concept of 'deemed suspension' of an airline's authorization to operate at specific airports if those approvals are not utilized for an extended duration.

Under this proposal, if a foreign airline does not conduct flights to a particular Indian airport for four consecutive International Air Transport Association (IATA) seasons, the regulator holds the authority to suspend the airport authorization.

The IATA seasons refer to the two annual scheduling periods for the global airline industry—summer and winter—during which airlines organize flight schedules and slot allocations worldwide.

Moreover, the draft circular presents a new mechanism for handling passenger grievances for foreign airlines operating in India. The mechanism will require airlines to maintain a formal grievance register and submit regular reports to the DGCA, ensuring greater transparency and consumer protection when dealing with passenger complaints.

The DGCA has set a deadline of April 9 for stakeholders to provide feedback on the draft proposal, which will be considered before finalizing the new compliance framework.