India’s aviation regulator has issued a stern warning to Air India over serious lapses in safety compliance, after three of its Airbus aircraft were operated despite being overdue for mandatory inspections of emergency equipment.
According to an investigation by an international news agency, Reuters, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), in damning internal documents, criticised the airline for delays in addressing the violations and highlighted systemic failures within its operational oversight.
In a scathing report, the DGCA uncovered that spot checks conducted in May revealed Air India had flown Airbus aircraft without conducting required checks on “critical emergency equipment” — specifically, escape slides, which are vital for passenger evacuation in emergencies.
“Checks on escape slides are a very serious issue. In case of accident, if they don’t open, it can lead to serious injuries,” warned Vibhuti Singh, a former legal expert at the government’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.
The report added that in one instance, the inspection of an Airbus A320 was delayed by over a month. It was completed on May 15.
Yet, the aircraft continued to operate international flights to destinations including Dubai, Riyadh, and Jeddah, AirNav Radar data claimed.
In another case, an Airbus A319 used on domestic routes went unchecked for more than three months, while a third aircraft’s inspection was delayed by two days.
The DGCA did not mince words in its assessment: aircraft that miss mandatory safety checks have their certificates of airworthiness “deemed suspended,” it said.
According to the news agency, the warning notices and investigation report were issued just days before the fatal crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8, which claimed 241 lives. While these revelations aren’t related to the crash, it should bring the airline, already under fire, to intense scrutiny.
Furthermore, the DGCA flagged additional regulatory breaches, revealing that several Air India aircraft had outdated registration paperwork. The airline responded to Reuters stating that only one aircraft was non-compliant and insisted this “poses no impact” to safety.
Yet the regulator’s assessment went further, accusing Air India of “inadequate internal oversight” and laying bare systemic dysfunctions. “Despite prior notifications and identified deficiencies, the organization’s internal quality and planning departments failed to implement effective corrective action, indicating systemic control failure,” the report stated.
These notices were sent by Animesh Garg, deputy director of airworthiness, to Air India CEO Campbell Wilson, along with the airline’s quality manager, planning head, and continuing airworthiness manager — underlining the seriousness of the infractions.
An Indian aviation lawyer pointed out that such breaches commonly result in civil and monetary penalties imposed not only on the airline but also on individual executives.
This is not the first time Air India has drawn regulatory fire. In February, India’s junior aviation minister informed parliament that safety violations led to 23 warnings or penalties against various airlines in the past year — with more than half involving Air India or its subsidiary, Air India Express. Among these was a shocking violation for “unauthorised entry into cockpit” and a record $127,000 fine levied on Air India for “insufficient oxygen on board” during a San Francisco flight.
Wilson has previously acknowledged operational shortcomings, blaming global parts shortages and admitting the issue was “more acute” for Air India, whose fleet is “a lot more dated,” with many aircraft not updated since their delivery in 2010-2011.
Recently, Air India Chairman N Chandrasekaran urged employees to treat the Air India Boeing 787-8 tragedy as a catalyst to build a safer airline.
Now, following this report of lapses, Air India will struggle to repair reputational damage and restore public confidence.
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