Air India fined Rs11 million after employee's complaint
The action was taken after pilot's complaint regarding safety violations by the airline
New Delhi: Civil aviation regulatory body Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has fined airline Air India Rs11 million concerning a safety violation.
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.
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 said that the airline's response was scrutinised against statutory provisions and original equipment manufacturer (OEM)-specified performance limits, which revealed discrepancies in the operations of leased aircraft.
Recently, DGCA imposed fines worth Rs3 million 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.