Header Image

DGCA Cracks Down on Air India Officials Over Safety Lapses After Deadly Crash

DGCA Cracks Down on Air India Officials Over Safety Lapses After Deadly Crash

Last Updated Jun - 21 - 2025, 05:22 PM | Source : Fela News

Following a fatal Air India crash, DGCA removes three senior officials over crew scheduling violations, licensing breaches, and safety oversight failures, marki
DGCA Cracks Down on Air India Officials Over Safety Lapses After Deadly Crash
DGCA Cracks Down on Air India Officials Over Safety Lapses After Deadly Crash

In the wake of a devastating Air India crash that killed over 270 people, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered the immediate removal of three senior officials involved in crew scheduling. The officials, Choorah Singh (Divisional Vice President), Pinky Mittal (Chief Manager –DOPS, Crew Scheduling), and Payal Arora (Crew Scheduling – Planning) were found responsible for serious violations, including unauthorized crew pairings, breaches of licensing norms, and failure to ensure proper crew rest. The action follows a post-transition audit after Air India migrated to the CAE Flight and Crew Management System.

The DGCA’s directive, dated June 20, instructs Air India to reassign the officials to non-operational roles and to bar them from any responsibilities that may affect flight safety or compliance. The regulator also ordered internal disciplinary action against the three, with a compliance report due within 10 days. These lapses were highlighted as systemic, indicating broader flaws in the airline’s oversight mechanisms. The safety violations came to light amid heightened scrutiny following the recent crash of a London-bound Air India flight from Ahmedabad shortly after takeoff.

Separately, the DGCA issued a show-cause notice to Air India’s Accountable Manager after it was revealed that two Bengaluru-London flights (AI-133) operated on May 16 and 17, 2025, exceeded the maximum permissible flight time of 10 hours. The official has been given seven days to respond. These regulatory actions signal one of the most serious crackdowns on Air India’s operational procedures in recent years, as authorities move swiftly to address rising concerns over flight safety and compliance within the national carrier.

Share :

Trending this week

India’s Basmati Exports Hit Hard Amid Iran Conflict,

Jun - 21 - 2025

India’s basmati rice export sector has taken another blow, this time due to the escalating Israel-Iran conflict. Following the impact of the ... Read More

DGCA Cracks Down on Air India Officials Over Safety Lapses After Deadly Crash

Jun - 21 - 2025

In the wake of a devastating Air India crash that killed over 270 people, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered the immediat... Read More

Professor Suman Chakraborty Appointed New Director of IIT Kharagpur

Jun - 21 - 2025

Professor Suman Chakraborty, an acclaimed mechanical engineering expert and innovator, has been appointed as the new director of the Indian Institu... Read More

Rahul Gandhi Slams ‘Make in India’

Jun - 21 - 2025

During his visit to Delhi’s Nehru Place, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi sharply criticised the Centre’s ‘Make in India’ initi... Read More

EC Defends 45-Day CCTV Footage Limit

Jun - 21 - 2025

The Election Commission has clarified its position on the 45-day limit for retaining CCTV footage from polling booths. Sources within the poll body... Read More

BMC Inspects Shah Rukh Khan’s Mannat

Jun - 21 - 2025

Authorities from the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) and the forest department have inspected Shah Rukh Khan’s iconic Bandra bungalo... Read More