Ahmedabad plane crash: Aviation regulator orders Air India to remove officials

New Delhi: India’s civil aviation regulator has directed Air India to remove three officials from their roles over “systemic failures”, according to a directive seen by AFP on Saturday, as the airline faces intense scrutiny following a deadly crash.

The instruction from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) does not explicitly state whether it is linked to the June 12 crash in Ahmedabad, which killed 241 of the 242 people on board. At least 38 others on the ground also lost their lives.

The DGCA’s directive pointed to major lapses in Air India’s operations, stating that the airline’s own voluntary disclosures revealed “systemic failures in crew scheduling, compliance monitoring, and internal accountability.”

“Of particular concern is the absence of strict disciplinary measures against key officials directly responsible for these operational lapses,” the order noted. It added that the officials named had been involved in “serious and repeated lapses.”

The regulator has instructed Air India to immediately remove the three officials from all responsibilities related to crew scheduling, initiate disciplinary proceedings, and submit a report on the action taken within 10 days.

The DGCA warned that future violations could result in “licence suspension.”

Air India said in a statement on Saturday that it had complied with the directive. “Air India is committed to ensuring that there is total adherence to safety protocols and standard practices,” the airline said.

Investigators are still working to determine what caused the London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner to crash moments after takeoff from Ahmedabad.

Air India stated on Thursday that the aircraft was “well-maintained” and the pilots were experienced. Both the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder have been recovered from the crash site.