Air India Flight Safety Chief Suspended For One Month Due To Lapses: DGCA

This action follows a regulatory inspection conducted on July 25 and 26, focusing on aspects such as internal audit, accident prevention measures and the availability of necessary manpower.

"The approval of Chief of Flight Safety of Air India has been suspended for a period of one month for the lapses established," DGCA said.

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The DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) suspended the approval of Air India's Flight Safety Chief for one month due to certain lapses, reported PTI. This action follows a regulatory inspection conducted on July 25 and 26, focusing on aspects such as internal audit, accident prevention measures, and the availability of necessary technical manpower at Air India.

The surveillance found deficiencies in the accident prevention work carried out by the organisation and the availability of the requisite technical manpower as required in the approved Flight Safety Manual and the relevant Civil Aviation Requirements, DGCA said in a release, as per the report. 

"The approval of Chief of Flight Safety of Air India has been suspended for a period of one month for the lapses established," it said.

DGCA observed that some of the internal audit/spot checks claimed to be carried out by the airline were done in a perfunctory manner and not as per the regulatory requirements. 

The move comes as airline's new owner Tata Group is trying to expand the reach of Air India. Recently, Air India Express and AirAsia India introduced interline bookings, allowing passengers to book across both airlines on connecting flights with a single PNR. The integration covers over 100 routes and offers services such as in-flight dining and priority services.

Tata Group acquired full ownership of Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express in January 2022 and announced the merger of AirAsia India and Air India Express in November 2022. Following this the company started working on a 5-year transformation plan Vihaan.AI. In June the company announced a large fleet order. Tata Group airline is buying 250 Airbus aircraft and 220 new Boeing jets.

The company a few months ago launched Air India's new logo and livery. As per reports, Tata Group will introduce a fresh brand identity for Air India Express by October.