Air India Penalized: DGCA Slaps Rs 30 Lakh Fine Over Regulatory Lapses

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) fined Air India Rs 30 lakh for regulatory breaches. The airline allowed a pilot to fly without meeting mandatory requirements. A response to the initial show-cause notice was deemed unsatisfactory, highlighting rostering and compliance issues at Air India.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has taken significant action against Air India by imposing a hefty penalty of Rs 30 lakh. This decision comes after Air India allegedly allowed one of its pilots to operate a flight without adhering to crucial regulatory standards.

On January 29, the DGCA reported that it identified several rostering issues within the airline. These findings followed an unsatisfactory response by Air India's management to a prior show-cause notice issued on December 13, 2024, questioning the airline's compliance practices.

Specifically, the situation arose when a pilot flew on July 7 without meeting the mandatory recency requirement of three takeoffs and landings, a direct violation of civil aviation regulations. Air India did not comment when approached by PTI for a response. The DGCA's statement further noted that Air India's rostering controllers ignored recurrent alerts, leading to the fine under the Aircraft Rules, 1937.