India’s top aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has officially warned Air India for serious and repeated breaches of pilot duty time limits, raising fresh concerns over the airline’s flight safety management.
DGCA Flags Breach of 10-Hour Flight Duty Limit
According to documents reviewed by Reuters, the DGCA directive criticized Air India for exceeding the maximum pilot flying hours on two international flights from Bengaluru to London on May 16 and 17. The 10-hour limit was crossed, violating India’s civil aviation rules.
The aviation authority has asked the airline to immediately remove three senior officials from their crew management roles:
- A Divisional Vice President
- A Chief Crew Scheduler
- A Planning Executive
These removals are due to what the DGCA calls “systemic scheduling failures” and a lack of internal accountability.
No Strict Action Taken, Says DGCA
The DGCA report expressed concern about the lack of disciplinary measures against those directly responsible. Himanshu Srivastava, DGCA’s Assistant Director of Operations, said in the order:
“What’s most worrying is the failure to impose strict action on key officials who were responsible.”
Air India Responds to Regulator’s Order
Air India confirmed it has complied with the DGCA’s instructions, and the Chief Operating Officer will now directly monitor the Integrated Operations Control Centre to avoid future lapses.
The airline stated:
“Air India is fully committed to following all safety protocols and standard operating procedures.”
Part of a Larger Pattern of Safety Oversight
This warning comes shortly after the DGCA flagged another violation involving Air India’s Airbus planes flying without emergency slide checks. Though unrelated to the recent Boeing 787-8 crash, which tragically killed 241 passengers, the incidents together reflect increased regulatory scrutiny on the Tata-owned airline.
Air India Faced 12 Safety Violations in 2024
As per government data shared in Parliament, Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express were involved in 12 out of 23 aviation safety warnings or fines issued last year. The highest penalty was $127,000, levied on Air India for operating flights with insufficient oxygen supply onboard.
Tata Group’s Challenge to Rebuild Trust
Since the Tata Group took over Air India in 2022, the airline has been under pressure to restore its reputation after years of passenger complaints over poor service and delayed operations.
