The DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation), the civil aviation regulator, has taken serious action against Air India for operating a flight with non-qualified crew members. The Tata Group-owned airline has been fined ₹9 million. Additionally, a penalty of ₹600,000 has been imposed on the Director of Operations and ₹300,000 on the Director of Training. The DGCA has also issued a strict warning to the flight’s pilot to ensure such mistakes do not happen in the future.

The DGCA reported that Air India operated a flight commanded by a non-trainer line captain and a non-line-released first officer. This was considered a serious safety lapse with potentially severe consequences. The issue came to light through a voluntary report submitted by Air India on July 10, 2024. The regulator then conducted a thorough investigation, reviewing documents and conducting a spot check of Air India’s scheduling facility. The investigation revealed several deficiencies and regulatory violations by various staff and post holders, which could have affected safety.

The DGCA issued show-cause notices to the flight commander and Air India’s approved post holders, giving them a chance to respond by July 22, 2024. However, the DGCA was not satisfied with their explanations and imposed the penalties according to regulations.

Air India was a government-owned airline before it was bought by the Tata Group in January 2022.