Residence » AIRLINE NEWS » Air India’s Crew Scheduling Violations Lead To Elimination Of Senior Officers And Tightened Security Oversight: That you must Know
Saturday, June 21, 2025
India’s Directorate Normal of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has taken robust motion in opposition to Air India following repeated and severe violations of crew security rules. The airline has been ordered to take away three senior officers from the crew scheduling division as a consequence of their direct involvement within the breaches. This motion marks a major response from the aviation regulator in its efforts to implement strict security requirements throughout the trade.
The DGCA’s intervention comes after Air India voluntarily reported violations involving the scheduling of flight crew in contravention of established licensing, flight obligation time, and relaxation interval rules—important elements of flight security. These rules are designed to stop fatigue-related incidents and be certain that crew members are match for obligation, a vital facet of aviation security.
The airline’s inner overview, carried out after the shift to a brand new flight and crew administration system, revealed a number of violations. These breaches have been most noticeable within the scheduling of long-haul flights. Particularly, pilots on two totally different events working between Bangalore and London exceeded the legally mandated flight obligation hours, violating the established security limits.
The DGCA issued a present trigger discover to Air India’s Accountable Supervisor following a spot test of two particular flights, recognized as Al133, which operated on Could 16 and Could 17, 2025. Each flights have been discovered to have exceeded the protection restrict of 10 hours for flight time, an infringement that places crew members and passengers in danger.
As a part of its corrective motion, the DGCA has demanded the elimination of Choorah Singh, the Divisional Vice President, Pinky Mittal, the Chief Supervisor of DOPS Crew Scheduling, and Payal Arora, who held a key place in Crew Scheduling Planning.The airline has been directed to start speedy disciplinary motion in opposition to these officers. These people have been straight linked to the violations, which stemmed from poor administration of crew scheduling, inflicting repeated breaches of important security protocols.
Along with the elimination of key personnel, the DGCA has stipulated that the officers underneath investigation have to be reassigned to non-operational roles. They’re barred from holding any positions that might affect flight security or crew compliance till the outcomes of the interior proceedings are reported again to the regulator. The report have to be submitted inside 10 days of the order.
The DGCA’s letter, issued on June 20, additionally highlights the regulatory physique’s stringent stance on making certain compliance. Any future violations associated to flight crew scheduling, licensing, or obligation time limitations, whether or not found in audits or routine inspections, will end in extreme enforcement actions. These might embody penalties, the suspension of licenses, and even the withdrawal of Air India’s working permits if violations proceed.
In response to the DGCA’s directive, Air India has acknowledged the problems and is taking speedy steps to handle the violations. A consultant from the airline confirmed that the corporate has complied with the regulator’s directive, appointing the Chief Operations Officer to straight oversee the airline’s Built-in Operations Management Centre (IOCC) to ensure full adherence to the rules. Air India additionally assured that it stays dedicated to adhering to security protocols and sustaining customary operational practices throughout its fleet.
The timing of this investigation is critical, because it coincides with ongoing inquiries into the tragic Air India crash that occurred on June 12, 2025, in Ahmedabad. That incident, which resulted within the lack of over 270 lives, is at present underneath investigation, including extra stress on the airline to enhance its security procedures and guarantee full regulatory compliance.
This newest incident comes amid the upcoming implementation of revised pilot obligation norms, which have been ordered by the Delhi Excessive Court docket earlier in February. The brand new rules, set to return into impact in phases beginning July 1, 2025, will introduce stricter pointers on flight crew obligation and relaxation hours. Notably, the minimal weekly relaxation interval for pilots will enhance from 36 to 48 hours, and evening operations might be restricted to a most of two landings per shift.
The revisions purpose to handle rising issues about pilot fatigue, which has change into an more and more essential problem within the aviation trade. The DGCA’s dedication to implementing these adjustments stems from consultations with airline operators, pilot associations, and the Ministry of Civil Aviation, reflecting a collaborative strategy to bettering flight security in India.
These measures, together with the latest actions taken in opposition to Air India, sign the DGCA’s unyielding stance on crew security and regulatory adherence. By tightening enforcement and holding airways accountable, the DGCA goals to stop additional incidents and be certain that India’s aviation trade operates on the highest security requirements.
With the airline trade underneath growing scrutiny, it’s clear that the DGCA’s oversight and the implementation of stricter crew obligation rules will play a vital function in shaping the way forward for air journey security in India. The regulatory actions taken in opposition to Air India ought to function a reminder to all operators in regards to the significance of compliance with established security requirements and the extreme penalties of failing to take action.
