DGCA Pulls Up Air India, Imposes ₹1 Crore Fine For Safety Permit Violation

India's civil aviation regulator has imposed a penalty of $110,350, roughly ₹1 crore, on Air India for operating an Airbus aircraft multiple times without a valid airworthiness permit.

The action follows an internal and regulatory review that flagged serious compliance shortcomings at the airline, raising concerns over operational discipline and public confidence.

Aircraft Operated Without Mandatory Certificate

The case centres on an Airbus A320 that carried passengers on eight flights between New Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Hyderabad on November 24 and 25 without a valid Airworthiness Review Certificate, or ARC. The ARC is issued annually by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation after a detailed inspection confirms that an aircraft meets safety and regulatory standards.

Despite the absence of this mandatory certification, the aircraft continued scheduled operations across major domestic routes.

A confidential penalty order dated February 5 addressed to Air India CEO Campbell Wilson noted that the episode had "further eroded public confidence and adversely impacted the safety compliance of the organisation."

"The accountable manager on behalf of Air India is found blameworthy for the above lapses," Joint Director General of Civil Aviation Maneesh Kumar wrote in the order, directly referring to Wilson.

The airline has been directed to deposit 10 million Indian rupees, or $110,339, within 30 days. Air India did not respond to queries regarding the penalty.

Internal Probe Flags 'Systemic Failures'

An internal investigation conducted by Air India described the lapse as stemming from "systemic failures." The airline acknowledged the urgent need to strengthen its compliance culture in the aftermath of the incident, which was first reported in December.

The internal review also pointed fingers at cockpit crews. According to earlier findings, pilots who operated the eight flights failed to follow standard operating procedures before departure, adding another layer of accountability to the episode.

The regulator's order underscores that the breach was not an isolated administrative oversight but reflected deeper weaknesses in oversight mechanisms.

Series of Regulatory Warnings

The airline has faced scrutiny from the aviation watchdog on multiple fronts in recent months. In addition to the ARC violation, it has received warnings for operating aircraft without proper checks on emergency equipment and for other audit-related shortcomings.

Air India, owned by the Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, has been working to rebuild its brand and operational standards after years of financial and service challenges.

The latest penalty comes against the backdrop of heightened sensitivity around safety. In June last year, an Air India Boeing Dreamliner crashed shortly after take-off, killing 260 people in what became the carrier's worst aviation disaster.

Regulatory authorities have since tightened oversight, emphasising that compliance failures, even procedural ones, can have serious consequences for passenger safety and public trust.