Air India group reported a high number of serious safety lapses among Indian carriers during audits by civil aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
In last one year, the Tata-owned airline logged seven Level 1 findings- the most serious critical findings according to classification by DGCA, which can impact flight safety. This is more than any other airlines and second only to Vistara, which had 10 such findings, before getting merged into Air India. Air India Express, the group’s low-cost international arm, recorded two.
Such lapses can attract enforcement actions, including penalties or grounding orders.
In total, DGCA’s annual audits flagged 263 safety and compliance issues across eight Indian airlines. While Air India’s total stood at 51, including 44 Level 2 findings, its share of the most serious violations has raised fresh questions about the effectiveness of its ongoing revamp under the Tata Group.
IndiGo, which is India’s largest airline by size, and operates 1,000 more flights daily than Air India, reported 23 issues, but none in the level 1 category while SpiceJet, which has faced multiple regulatory actions in recent years, recorded 14 findings.
The DGCA classifies audit findings into two levels: Level 1 involves direct safety hazards, including improper aircraft maintenance, documentation of expired parts, or serious crew training deficiencies. Level 2 typically refers to procedural violations or administrative oversights.
Air India’s engineering and safety practices have come under regulatory scrutiny. In June, DGCA issued show-cause notices to senior engineering officials over maintenance lapses, including allegations that expired components were installed on aircraft. Following that in July, the regulator issued at least four show cause notices to Air India over multiple violation of pilot rest rules, not fulfilling training requirements and deploying inadequate number of cabin crew on ultra-long haul flights.
However, DGCA downplayed the seriousness of such findings saying that it is normal for airlines with large operations to report a high number of findings during an audit.
“Upon completion of each audit, the relevant airlines are formally notified and are required to submit timely compliance and corrective action reports. The DGCA closely monitors these responses and ensures that all necessary measures are taken to maintain and enhance safety standards,” DGCA said.
Following the crash of a Boeing 787 plane at Ahmedabad killing 270 people, the DGCA has ramped up its surveillance and revamped its audit procedure to make it more comprehensive
India is expected to become the third-largest aviation market by the end of the decade. But as fleet sizes expand and consolidation reshapes the industry, the regulator’s data shows safety remains an area demanding urgent attention.a
In last one year, the Tata-owned airline logged seven Level 1 findings- the most serious critical findings according to classification by DGCA, which can impact flight safety. This is more than any other airlines and second only to Vistara, which had 10 such findings, before getting merged into Air India. Air India Express, the group’s low-cost international arm, recorded two.
Such lapses can attract enforcement actions, including penalties or grounding orders.
In total, DGCA’s annual audits flagged 263 safety and compliance issues across eight Indian airlines. While Air India’s total stood at 51, including 44 Level 2 findings, its share of the most serious violations has raised fresh questions about the effectiveness of its ongoing revamp under the Tata Group.
IndiGo, which is India’s largest airline by size, and operates 1,000 more flights daily than Air India, reported 23 issues, but none in the level 1 category while SpiceJet, which has faced multiple regulatory actions in recent years, recorded 14 findings.
The DGCA classifies audit findings into two levels: Level 1 involves direct safety hazards, including improper aircraft maintenance, documentation of expired parts, or serious crew training deficiencies. Level 2 typically refers to procedural violations or administrative oversights.
Air India’s engineering and safety practices have come under regulatory scrutiny. In June, DGCA issued show-cause notices to senior engineering officials over maintenance lapses, including allegations that expired components were installed on aircraft. Following that in July, the regulator issued at least four show cause notices to Air India over multiple violation of pilot rest rules, not fulfilling training requirements and deploying inadequate number of cabin crew on ultra-long haul flights.
However, DGCA downplayed the seriousness of such findings saying that it is normal for airlines with large operations to report a high number of findings during an audit.
“Upon completion of each audit, the relevant airlines are formally notified and are required to submit timely compliance and corrective action reports. The DGCA closely monitors these responses and ensures that all necessary measures are taken to maintain and enhance safety standards,” DGCA said.
Following the crash of a Boeing 787 plane at Ahmedabad killing 270 people, the DGCA has ramped up its surveillance and revamped its audit procedure to make it more comprehensive
India is expected to become the third-largest aviation market by the end of the decade. But as fleet sizes expand and consolidation reshapes the industry, the regulator’s data shows safety remains an area demanding urgent attention.a
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