Indian Regulator Cites Air India for Past Safety Lapses, Removes 3 Officials

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India’s aviation regulator on Saturday ordered Air India to remove three senior employees from crew scheduling duties, citing previous violations of pilot rest and licensing rules.

The action is not directly related to the June 12 crash of AI 171 crash in Ahmedabad, which brought additional scrutiny to Air India's operations. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said multiple violations were discovered after Air India switched its internal crew scheduling software last year.

“Repeated and serious violations (were) voluntarily disclosed by M/s Air India concerning flight crew being scheduled and operated despite lapses in licensing, rest, and recency requirements,” the DGCA said.

In aviation, "recency" refers to the requirement for pilots to have recently performed takeoffs and landings or simulator sessions to maintain valid licenses.

The regulator said the findings point to systemic failures in crew scheduling and internal oversight.

The DGCA ordered Air India to remove three officials from operational roles and launch disciplinary action against them within 10 days.

One was Vice President of the Integrated Operations Control Centre (IOCC), the central hub of an airline’s day-to-day operations that brings together key departments like crew scheduling, maintenance, and network planning to ensure flights run safely and in line with regulations.

In a short statement, Air India said it has followed the regulator’s order. “We acknowledge the regulator’s directive and have implemented the order. In the interim, the company’s Chief Operations Officer will provide direct oversight to the IOCC,” an Air India spokesperson said. No further details were shared by the airline.

The DGCA order also warned that, “Any future violation... will attract strict enforcement action, including but not limited to penalties, license suspension, or withdrawal of operator permissions.”

In a separate but related matter, the DGCA also issued a show-cause notice to the airline. This was for Flight AI133 from Bengaluru to London on May 16 and 17.

DGCA said both flights had exceeded the 10-hour limit set for crew flight time, a clear violation of existing safety rules.

The DGCA said the airline must explain why action should not be taken for these violations. If Air India fails to reply within seven days, the DGCA could act on the matter without further input.

In an update on Saturday, Air India said it has started releasing interim financial support to families affected by the June 12 crash of its Boeing 787-8 aircraft in Ahmedabad.

The airline had announced an interim payment of INR 2.5 million (around $29,000) each to the families of the deceased and to the sole survivor, to help address immediate financial needs. This amount is separate from the INR 10 million (approximately $116,000) support already announced by Tata Sons.

The airline said a centralized help desk, set up on June 15, is managing the compensation process. This single-window system is helping families by speeding up paperwork and guiding them through the claim process.

“The interim compensation began being released from 20 June 2025,” Air India said. “Three families have received payments so far, and the remaining claims are currently being processed.”

The help desk is also working with local authorities and insurance representatives to avoid delays and reduce the burden on families during this period.