No power banks on aircraft? Civil Aviation Minister says safety concerns come first

Bhogapuram (Andhra Pradesh) [India], January 4 (ANI): Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu on Sunday said the guidelines issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) prohibiting the usage of power banks in the aircrafts, are aimed at passenger and flight safety.
"Whenever DGCA issues guidelines or rules, it keeps the safety of the people and the aircraft in mind. Whatever it does, it does thorough research, thorough consultation, and most of it comes from the International Civil Aviation Organisation, which is consulting with stakeholders across the world. So once they decide on a certain rule or regulation, it is important for us also to follow it so that we maintain that safety, and it is in that regard we are doing it," Minister told ANI.
Speaking on the report submitted on the IndiGo disruptions, he said that the report from the inquiry committee has returned, and an in-depth analysis and fact-check are underway through the DGCA.
"The report has come from the inquiry committee. Now, through the DGCA, we are exploring the facts that have been mentioned in the committee report, and we are going to do an in-depth analysis. Any further questions that arise, we will take feedback on that, and once we are very thorough, then we will take action," he stated.
Earlier, IndiGo CEO Pieter Elbers had told employees that the airline has emerged stronger after a challenging period, saying "the worst is behind us as operations stabilised and the carrier restored its network to 2,200 flights".
In an internal message, Elbers praised employees across functions for standing united during recent disruptions.
"Dear IndiGo colleagues, through the storm, we are finding our wings again. The worst is behind us. These last two weeks have been very challenging for all of us," he said, thanking pilots, cabin crew, airport staff, operations control and customer service teams for their support. (