Civil aviation chief orders airline to remove three company executives from crew scheduling roles
- Three executives to be removed for lapses linked to Bengaluru-London flights.
- June 20 order cites “systemic failures in scheduling protocol and oversights”.
- Air India says it has implemented orders issued by civil aviation DG.
India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has issued a stern warning to Air India for what it described as “repeated and serious violations” of pilot duty time regulations, following a string of lapses in flight scheduling and oversight.
According to official directives reviewed by Reuters, the DGCA has ordered the removal of three key Air India officials involved in crew scheduling — a divisional vice president, a chief manager, and a planning executive — for failing to prevent pilot duty breaches on two international flights from Bengaluru to London operated on May 16 and 17. Both flights exceeded the maximum allowable pilot duty limit of 10 hours.
In a directive dated June 20, the DGCA cited “systemic failures in scheduling protocols” and criticized the airline’s leadership for not taking “strict disciplinary measures” against those responsible. The order, signed by Assistant Director of Operations Himanshu Srivastava, underscored deep concern over management inaction and oversight gaps.
The disciplinary action is separate from an unrelated Air India Boeing 787-8 crash earlier this month that claimed 241 lives, but it highlights the regulator’s increasing scrutiny of the airline’s operational practices.
In a statement to Reuters, Air India said it had complied with the DGCA’s directive. “We have removed the identified executives and the Chief Operations Officer is now directly overseeing the Integrated Operations Control Centre,” the airline said, reaffirming its commitment to strict adherence to safety and regulatory compliance.
The airline also voluntarily disclosed the flight duty violations to the DGCA, a move acknowledged in the regulator’s order.
This latest setback adds to the challenges facing Air India since its acquisition by the Tata Group in 2022. The airline has been striving to rebuild its reputation after years of criticism over poor service and operational mismanagement.
Earlier this week, Air India was also reprimanded by the DGCA for allowing three Airbus aircraft to operate while overdue for emergency equipment checks, specifically on escape slides — further raising safety concerns.
According to government data, Indian aviation authorities issued 23 warnings or fines for safety violations last year — more than half of which involved Air India and its low-cost subsidiary, Air India Express. The airline also received a $127,000 fine — the largest — for flying certain international routes with insufficient oxygen supplies onboard.
The DGCA’s latest directive signals a tightening regulatory environment for Indian carriers, particularly those with repeated compliance issues.
