Air India Shake-Up: DGCA Orders Removal Of Three Executives In Crew Management, Initiates Disciplinary Action

The names of the three involved officials were not disclosed, though it was confirmed that a divisional vice president is among those facing action, as specified in the DGCA’s order.

The directive, issued on June 20, requires the Tata Group-owned carrier to act promptly.

Source : ANI

In a significant move concerning aviation safety oversight, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has directed Air India to relieve three of its officials, including a divisional vice president, from all duties associated with crew scheduling and rostering. The directive, issued on June 20, requires the Tata Group-owned carrier to act promptly.

Citing sources, PTI reported that the regulator has not only called for the immediate removal of these officials from their current roles but has also instructed Air India to initiate internal disciplinary action against them without any delay. The names of the three involved officials were not disclosed, though it was confirmed that a divisional vice president is among those facing action, as specified in the DGCA’s order.

Air India, in a statement issued on Saturday, confirmed that it had “acknowledged the regulator's directive and implemented the order.” The airline added that, in the interim, its Chief Operations Officer will directly oversee the Integrated Operations Control Centre (IOCC). Reaffirming its commitment to operational safety, the carrier said, “Air India is committed to ensuring that there is total adherence to safety protocols and standard practices.”

Serious Violations Exposed During System Transition

The DGCA’s order stems from “repeated and serious violations voluntarily disclosed by Air India concerning flight crew being scheduled and operated despite lapses in licensing, rest, and recency requirements.” These violations were detected during a post-transition review from the ARMS (Air Route Management System) platform to the newly adopted CAE Flight and Crew Management System.

The regulator noted that while Air India’s voluntary disclosure was acknowledged, the issues point to “systemic failures in crew scheduling, compliance monitoring, and internal accountability.” The DGCA flagged particular concern over the lack of stringent disciplinary measures against key personnel directly responsible for these breaches.

According to the order, the officials were found to have engaged in multiple critical lapses, including “unauthorised and non-compliant crew pairings, violation of mandatory licensing and recency norms and systemic failures in scheduling protocol and oversight.” The DGCA has also warned the airline that any future violations related to crew rostering could result in severe consequences, including licence suspension and operational restrictions.

Troubles Continue For Air India

Notably, the carrier has been under the scanner since the fatal crash of Air India flight AI171 on June 12, which resulted in the death of 241 passengers onboard and at least 30 people on the ground. This development marks the latest scrutiny on the carrier's operations and pulls into focus the discussion of aviation safety following what is being discussed as the darkest chapter in the carrier's history.

In a review meeting held between DGCA and top executives of Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express earlier this week, the regulator evaluated the carrier's operational performance and discussed safety checks conducted on its Boeing Dreamliner fleet.

During the review, DGCA revealed that comprehensive surveillance conducted on Air India’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet did not identify any serious safety issues. “The recent surveillance conducted on Air India’s Boeing 787 fleet did not reveal any major safety concerns. The aircraft and associated maintenance systems were found to be compliant with existing safety standards," the regulator stated.

However, the regulator remarked upon consistent disruptions in the airline's Dreamliner fleet. Notably, between June 12-17, Air India cancelled 66 Boeing 787 flights. The DGCA advised the airline to introduce a real-time defect reporting system, allowing smooth and quick dissemination of critical information to operational and safety departments.