Aviation Regulator Fines Air India Rs 90 Lakh Over Unqualified Crew On Flights

Air India Ltd. has been penalised Rs 90 lakh by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation for operating flights with unqualified crew members. The airline has confirmed the penalty.

The aviation regulator has fined the airline's Director of Operations and Director of Training to the tune of Rs 6 lakh and Rs 3 lakh, respectively. The pilot involved has also been issued a warning to exercise caution in the future to avoid similar incidents.

Air India Ltd. operated a flight commanded by a non-trainer line captain paired with a non-line-released first officer, according to a voluntary report submitted by Air India on July 10, 2024. This was viewed by DGCA as a serious scheduling incident with significant safety ramifications.

Taking cognisance of this incident, the regulator undertook comprehensive investigations into Air India operations, including the examination of documentation and a spot check of the Air India Scheduling Facility. Based on the investigation, it was prima facie revealed that there are deficiencies and multiple violations of the regulatory provisions by several postholders and staff, which could significantly affect safety.

The concerned commander of the flight and DGCA-approved postholders of Air India were provided an opportunity to explain their position via show cause notices dated July 22, 2024. The reply submitted by the concerned party failed to provide satisfactory justification. As such, DGCA has initiated enforcement action in terms of the provisions of the existing regulations and imposed the above penalty.