New Delhi: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) imposed a financial penalty of Rs90 lakh (Rs9 million) on Air India Limited on Friday for operating a flight with non-qualified crew members.
Additionally, penalties of Rs 6 lakh and Rs 3 lakh have been imposed on the Director of Operations and the Director of Training, respectively. The concerned pilot has been warned to exercise greater caution to prevent similar incidents in the future. The flight in question was commanded by a non-trainer line captain paired with a non-line-released first officer, a scheduling issue that the regulator views as a serious safety concern.
The incident came to the DGCA’s attention through a voluntary report submitted by Air India Limited on July 10, 2024. Following this, the regulator conducted a comprehensive investigation into the airline's operations, including documentation review and a spot check of the airline's scheduling facility.
The investigation revealed deficiencies and multiple regulatory violations by several post holders and staff, which could significantly impact safety. The commander of the flight and DGCA-approved post holders at Air India Limited were given the opportunity to explain their positions via show cause notices (SCNs) dated July 22, 2024. The responses received were deemed unsatisfactory, leading the DGCA to initiate enforcement actions and impose the aforementioned penalties.
