Aviation safety watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a show cause notice to the Accountable Manager of Air India for violating flight time rules. The aviation regulator also issued a notice against three Air India officials on the rostering team, ordering the airline to remove them for alleged repeated violations.
In its order issued to Air India to remove three senior officials responsible for “serious and repeated lapses” in crew scheduling, the DGCA has categorically mentioned “systemic failures in crew scheduling, compliance monitoring, and internal accountability” at the airline.
In the show cause notice, the DGCA said, “During a spot check, it has been observed that the Accountable Manager of M/s Air India operated two flights from Bangalore to London (AI133) on 16 May 2025 and 17 May 2025, both of which exceeded the stipulated flight time limit of 10 hours, in violation of Para 6.1.3 of Civil Aviation Requirement (CAR) Section 7 Series J Part III, Issue Ill dated 24 April 2019.”
In its notice, the DGCA said the manager did not ensure adherence to specific provisions under the Civil Aviation Requirements, and warned that enforcement action could follow if no response is received.
“Whereas, it is further noted that the Accountable Manager of Mis Air India Ltd. has failed to ensure adherence to the provisions and compliance requirements as stipulated under Para 1 and Para 2.4 of Annexure III of Civil Aviation Requirements (CARs) of Section 3, Series C Part Il. Now, therefore, you are hereby called upon to show cause within 07 days of receipt of this notice as to why appropriate enforcement action should not be initiated against you under the applicable provisions of the Aircraft Rules and Civil Aviation Requirements for the aforementioned violations,” the notice said.
“Failure to submit your reply within the stipulated period shall result in the matter being decided ex parte based on the evidence available on record,” it said.
After the aviation regulator launched stringent action against Air India over serious lapses in crew scheduling protocols, directing it to remove three senior officials from the rostering department without delay, the airline on Saturday said it has acknowledged the regulator’s directive and has implemented the same.
The DGCA ordered Air India to remove the three officials from all roles and responsibilities related to crew scheduling and rostering.
According to a formal directive issued by the aviation regulator, it identified the trio as being directly responsible for multiple violations, including unauthorised and non-compliant crew pairings, breaches of mandatory licensing requirements, and a failure to adhere to flight crew recency norms.
The DGCA described the situation as a “systemic failure” in both scheduling procedures and supervisory oversight.
According to the DGCA, “These three officials have been involved in serious and repeated lapses regarding crew rostering,” adding that internal disciplinary proceedings must be initiated against them within 10 days.
The aviation regulator identified the following personnel as directly responsible for the continued non-compliance: Choorah Singh, Divisional Vice President; Pinky Mittal, Chief Manager-DOPS, Crew Scheduling and Payal Arora, Crew Scheduling – Planning.
These officials have been involved in serious and repeated lapses including but not limited to unauthorised and non-compliant crew pairings; violation of mandatory licensing and recency norms; and systemic failures in scheduling protocol and oversight.
“Repeated and serious violations voluntarily were disclosed by Air India concerning flight crew being scheduled and operated despite lapses in licensing, rest, and recency requirements. These violations were discovered during the post-transition review from ARMS to the CAE Flight and Crew Management System,” the DGCA order read.
The voluntary disclosures, while noted, point to “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,” it added.
“Air India is directed to remove the above-mentioned officials from all roles and responsibilities related to crew scheduling and rostering. Internal disciplinary proceedings must be initiated against these officials without delay, and the outcome of such proceedings shall be reported to this office within 10 days from the date of issue of this letter,” said the regulator’s order.
The order further read that the “aforementioned officials shall be reassigned to non-operational roles pending conclusion of corrective reforms in scheduling practices, and shall not hold any position involving direct influence over flight safety and crew compliance until further notice”.
Any future violation of crew scheduling norms, licensing, or flight time limitations detected in any post-audit or inspection, will attract strict enforcement action, including but not limited to penalties, license suspension, or withdrawal of operator permissions as applicable, said DGCA.
Meanwhile, Air India in a statement said, “We acknowledge the regulator’s directive and have implemented the order. In the interim, the company’s Chief Operations Officer will provide direct oversight to the Integrated Operations Control Centre (IOCC). Air India is committed to ensuring that there is total adherence to safety protocols and standard practices.”
Currently reeling under the devastating AI 171 Boeing 787 Dreamliner crash that killed at least 270 people, including 241 passengers and crew members, Air India is facing intense heat as the Aviation Industry Employees’ Guild (AIEG) has demanded a CBI probe into the sacking of two cabin crew members by the airline for reporting a technical fault in the aircraft last year.