NEW DELHI – India’s aviation watchdog, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has identified a total of 51 safety violations at Air India in its 2025 annual audit, including seven serious “Level I” breaches that must be corrected by July 30, 2025, and 44 Level II violations with a deadline of August 23.

While these findings are not directly linked to the tragic Boeing 787 crash of Flight AI171 in June that killed 260 people, they have intensified scrutiny of the airline.

Key Failures: Inadequate Training, Unauthorized Simulators, Faulty Crew Scheduling

The audit revealed recurrent training gaps for Boeing 787 and 777 pilots, particularly concerning monitoring duties required before mandatory evaluations.

Unauthorized simulators—especially those intended for Category C airports—were used for training, and route-specific risk assessments were missing at several complex destinations.

Air India’s crew rostering system failed to reliably flag minimum staffing shortfalls. Flights operated with insufficient crew, and training documentation was found to be incomplete, with inconsistencies in safety oversight.

Air India Tops Violation List

Across the sector, the DGCA recorded 263 violations at eight commercial airlines. Air India led with 51 findings, followed by IndiGo (23), Air India Express (25), SpiceJet (14), and Vistara—now merged with Air India—at 17.

With seven Level I violations, Air India had the highest number of severe safety issues, suggesting one of the most critical risk profiles in India’s commercial aviation sector.

The DGCA noted that a larger number of findings is not unusual for carriers with extensive operations and large fleets, as these naturally generate more audit observations.

Regulatory Actions Underway

On July 23, Air India officials received formal warnings citing 29 systemic shortcomings in crew regulations, training compliance, rest periods, and simulator management. The DGCA indicated that penalties or dismissals could follow.

In a statement, the regulator emphasized that frequent and transparent self-reporting of safety gaps is a sign of growing maturity and accountability in the industry.

Air India responded that it has fully cooperated with authorities and will submit a comprehensive corrective action plan within the stipulated timeframe.

Safety Record

The crash of Flight AI171 on June 12, 2025, is the deadliest Boeing 787 disaster since the model entered service. Preliminary investigations point to fuel selector malfunctions and cockpit confusion as contributing factors.

Only two more severe accidents have occurred since 2010: the Air India Express crash in Kozhikode in 2020 (21 fatalities) and the 2010 crash in Mangalore (158 fatalities).

Since 2020, Indian airlines have reported 2,461 technical faults, with IndiGo accounting for over half (1,288), followed by SpiceJet and Air India (including Air India Express) with 389 cases as of January 2025, according to data from the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

Urgent Reforms Needed

The Air India Group is under intense pressure to address systemic shortcomings in pilot training, crew management, and operational procedures. The DGCA’s audit findings, combined with earlier warnings and accident investigations, point to an urgent need for deep structural reforms and rigorous enforcement.

The coming weeks will be critical for implementing mandatory corrective actions, restoring safety standards, and rebuilding public trust.

Sources: Reuters, The Economic Times