The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has initiated an enforcement action and imposed a penalty of Rs 1.10 crore on Air India over allegations of safety violations of flights operated by the airlines on certain long-range terrain-critical routes.
The civil aviation regulator had launched an extensive investigation following a safety report filed by an airline employee, alleging violations on certain "long-range terrain critical routes" operated by Air India, as reported by news agency ANI.
The inquiry indicated non-compliance by the airline, leading to the issuance of a Show Cause Notice to Air India Limited's Accountable Manager. "In response, DGCA has taken enforcement action, imposing a penalty of Rs 1.10 crore on M/s Air India," DGCA said.
DGCA stated that the airline's response was scrutinized against statutory provisions and original equipment manufacturer (OEM)-specified performance limits, which revealed discrepancies in the operations of leased aircraft.
Recently, regulatory body imposed fines worth Rs 30 lakh each on Air India and SpiceJet after finding lapses in pilot rostering related to operating flights in low visibility conditions. The decision stemmed from an analysis of December 2023 data, revealing that both airlines did not roster CAT II/III and LVTO qualified pilots for certain flights.
Earlier this montb, DGCA imposed a fine of Rs 30 Lakh on Mumbai Airport, whereas, the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) slapped a Rs 1.20 crore fine on IndiGo Airlines in connection with the video of passengers sitting eating on the tarmac at the airport, which went viral on social media.
Regulator BCAS also imposed a Rs 60 lakh penalty on Mumbai airport operator MIAL over the incident of passengers having food on the tarmac. The Ministry of Civil Aviation issued a show-cause notice to IndiGo Airlines and Mumbai Airport after the video went viral.