Air India removed senior officials after aviation safety watchdog, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), ordered action due to repeated crew scheduling violations.

The Tata Group-owned airline was directed to strip three key personnel, including a divisional vice president, of all responsibilities related to crew rostering following serious regulatory lapses.

In an official order issued on 20 June, the DGCA also instructed Air India to initiate internal disciplinary proceedings against the individuals involved “without delay.”

According to the DGCA, Air India voluntarily disclosed “repeated and serious violations” in the rostering of flight crew.

These included breaches of mandatory licensing, crew rest, and recency requirements. The infractions surfaced during the airline’s post-transition audit from its previous ARMS (Air Route Management System) to the CAE Flight and Crew Management System.

Despite Air India’s transparency in admitting the violations, the regulator underscored a “particular concern” regarding the lack of accountability. It cited “unauthorised and non-compliant crew pairings, violation of mandatory licensing and recency norms and systemic failures in scheduling protocol and oversight.”

The DGCA’s order emphasised that these failures point to broader structural problems, including inadequate internal compliance checks and absence of disciplinary measures against culpable officials.

In response, Air India issued a statement acknowledging the regulator’s directive, confirming that the order had been implemented.

“In the interim, the company’s Chief Operations Officer will provide direct oversight to the Integrated Operations Control Centre (IOCC). Air India is committed to ensuring that there is total adherence to safety protocols and standard practices,” the airline said on Saturday.

The DGCA warned that any further violations in crew scheduling may attract “strict action”, including suspension of licences and imposition of operational restrictions.

The aviation regulator’s intensified oversight comes in the wake of the tragic crash of Air India flight AI-171. The London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, carrying 242 passengers and crew, went down in Ahmedabad on 12 June.

The aircraft crashed into a medical complex shortly after take-off, claiming the lives of all but one on board and nearly 29 individuals on the ground.

The investigation into the incident continues, with regulators keeping a sharp eye on Air India’s operational integrity in the aftermath.

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Source: Legit.ng