NEW DELHI — India’s aviation regulator has issued a stern warning to Air India for repeated violations in pilot duty scheduling, pointing to what it described as “systemic failures” in operational oversight, according to a government order reviewed by Reuters.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) directed the national carrier to remove three senior officials involved in crew scheduling—citing two flights from Bengaluru to London on May 16 and 17 that exceeded the 10-hour flight duty limit for pilots.
Among those removed are a divisional vice-president, a chief manager of crew scheduling, and a planning executive. The DGCA’s June 20 directive sharply criticized the airline’s handling of the violations, particularly the absence of firm disciplinary action against those directly responsible.
“These oversights represent serious breaches of protocol, and the lack of accountability is unacceptable,” stated the order issued by Himanshu Srivastava, Assistant Director of Operations at DGCA.
While unrelated to the tragic June crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8 that killed 241 people, the latest regulatory move reflects intensifying scrutiny of the airline’s operations. Just days earlier, authorities flagged Air India for operating three Airbus aircraft without mandatory checks on emergency slide equipment.
In response to the latest reprimand, Air India confirmed that it has implemented the regulator’s instructions. “The chief operations officer will now directly oversee the Integrated Operations Control Centre. We reaffirm our commitment to full compliance with all safety protocols and operational standards,” the airline said in a statement to Reuters.
The DGCA acknowledged that Air India voluntarily disclosed the scheduling breaches, though this did not mitigate the regulator’s concern over deeper procedural issues within the airline’s operations.
Since its acquisition by Tata Group in 2022, Air India has embarked on an ambitious transformation plan, seeking to repair its reputation after years of criticism for unreliable service and operational inefficiencies.
According to government disclosures, Air India and its low-cost subsidiary, Air India Express, were involved in more than half of the 23 airline safety violations flagged by authorities in 2024. The most severe penalty imposed so far was a US$127,000 fine for flights operating with insufficient onboard oxygen.
The DGCA’s latest actions send a clear signal that regulatory tolerance for non-compliance, even from legacy carriers, is rapidly diminishing amid increasing demands for aviation safety and accountability.