Air India is under renewed scrutiny as the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) flagged nearly 100 safety lapses during a recent audit, including seven serious Level 1 violations that demand urgent action.
The audit, conducted from July 1 to 4 at Air India’s main base in Gurugram, assessed critical aspects such as crew training, duty hours, flight scheduling, and overall safety protocols. Key concerns included crew overwork, poor training standards, and a lack of qualified personnel on board.
In its response, Air India acknowledged receiving the report and stated it would reply within the stipulated timeframe. The airline emphasised that regular audits are part of ongoing efforts to enhance safety, adding, “We cooperated fully with the auditors and have already begun implementing corrective steps.”
The audit findings come in the wake of the tragic June 12 crash of Air India flight AI171. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner, flying from Ahmedabad to London, lost both engines shortly after takeoff and crashed into a medical college building, killing 241 passengers and crew, along with 19 people on the ground.
A preliminary investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has revealed disturbing findings in the June 12 crash of Air India flight AI171. According to the report, both engines abruptly stopped receiving fuel within seconds of each other shortly after takeoff. Cockpit recordings captured confusion and panic, with one pilot asking, “Why did you cut off?”—to which the other replied, “I didn’t.” Investigators believe that both fuel switches were inexplicably moved from ‘RUN’ to ‘CUTOFF,’ causing the engines to shut down.
In a related move, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued four show-cause notices to Air India on July 23, citing violations in crew rest, training, and operational procedures. These notices followed the airline’s own reporting of the issues, but the regulator had already taken action earlier, on June 21, by removing three senior officials responsible for crew scheduling.
One major lapse involved pilots being sent to a high-altitude airport without any specialised training—an omission that could have serious consequences in such challenging environments.
A notice from the DGCA noted, “Despite repeated warnings and enforcement actions in the past, systemic issues in compliance monitoring, crew planning, and training governance remain unresolved.”
With the AAIB’s findings and continued safety lapses emerging, serious questions are being raised about Air India’s ability to ensure the safety of its passengers and crew in the wake of one of the deadliest air disasters in recent Indian aviation history.
