Apply same rule for all players: Spicejet on OTP system review

New Delhi: With the aviation regulator DGCA reviewing airlines' on-time performance (OTP) mechanism at four airports, budget carrier SpiceJet on Monday called for applying same rules for all players and making the system more efficient.

"If data is challenged, do it in a better way ... As long as rules are same for everybody, then there is no problem," SpiceJet Chairman and Managing Director Ajay Singh said today.

His comments came against the backdrop of Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) setting up a committee late last year to look into the OTP monitoring system of domestic carriers at four airports of Delhi, Mumbai, Hyderabad and Bengaluru after another budget carrier IndiGo complained that the current system was flawed.

OTP is one of the several measures to determine an airline's operational efficiency. It indicates whether an airline is operating its flights on time or not.

"If the system can be made more efficient, please do (review it)," Singh said.

In an apparent dig at IndiGo, which used the same data for almost a decade to sell its flights to customers, Singh said, "I think it is little awkward for somebody to be challenging the same data based on which they said they were No 1."

Singh also said that the debate is a great thing for consumer.

Significantly, IndiGo has seen a sharp decline in its OTP in the last few months.

On the issue of Government's ambitious regional connectivity scheme UDAN, Singh said the airline fully supports the scheme but is opposed to the imposition of levy. "We oppose the levy because it will increase the cost for consumers."

UDAN (Ude Desh Ke Aam Naagrik) scheme, under which fares have been capped at Rs 2,500 for a one-hour flight, aims at boosting air connectivity to and from unserved and under-served airports and making flying more affordable.

Under UDAN, the participating airlines would be extended VGF -- that would be jointly funded by the Centre and the state government concerned. Towards VGF, the government has started charging Rs 8,500 levy per departure of flights on major routes. However, airlines have challenged the charging of levy in the court.

SpiceJet feels that the money for the scheme should be paid either by the Airports Authority of India (AAI) which is the nodal implementing agency for the scheme or through other government sources, he said.

The SpiceJet CMD also said that DIAL should give the airlines more time for shifting operations to T2 from the existing domestic terminal for its expansion work.

This is not the most efficient way because flights get split, he said, adding, "Give a little more for aligning operations."

GMR-led Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) has asked SpiceJet and another budget carrier IndiGo to relocate their operations from Terminal-1, out of which they are currently operating, to Terminal -2 so that the expansion work can begin.