In a significant disciplinary move, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has directed Air India to remove three key officials from all responsibilities related to crew scheduling and rostering. This action follows serious operational violations discovered during a system audit post the airline’s transition to a new crew management system.
Top Officials of Air India Suspended After Audit Flags Major Lapses
The aviation safety regulator issued the directive on June 20, identifying the three individuals as Choorah Singh, Divisional Vice President, Pinky Mittal, Chief Manager in the Directorate of Operations, Crew Scheduling, and Payal Arora from Crew Scheduling and Planning.
The DGCA said that these officials were directly accountable for “serious and repeated lapses” involving non-compliant crew pairings, violations of mandatory licensing norms, and failures in adhering to recency requirements. These issues came to light after Air India voluntarily disclosed irregularities during its transition from ARMS (Airline Resource Management System) to CAE’s Flight and Crew Management System.
Violations Highlight Systemic Failure
The regulator’s order noted, “Repeated and serious violations” were found, particularly involving scheduling crew members despite lapses in their licensing, rest, and recency. While Air India voluntarily disclosed these violations, the DGCA emphasized that this pointed to a deeper problem of “systemic failures in crew scheduling, compliance monitoring, and internal accountability.”
The DGCA also flagged the “absence of strict disciplinary measures” against key officials who were responsible for overseeing these crucial functions.
Air India Responds, COO Takes Over Scheduling Oversight
Responding to the directive, Air India issued a statement acknowledging the DGCA’s order and confirming immediate compliance.
“In the interim, the company’s Chief Operations Officer will provide direct oversight to the Integrated Operations Control Centre (IOCC). Air India is committed to ensuring that there is total adherence to safety protocols and standard practices,” the airline said on Saturday.
Backdrop: Deadly Crash Prompts Tight Scrutiny
This regulatory action comes in the wake of a fatal crash involving an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner on June 12. The London-bound flight AI-171 crashed shortly after take-off in Ahmedabad, killing all but one of the 242 passengers and crew on board. The accident also claimed the lives of nearly 29 people on the ground after the plane struck a medical facility.
Sources indicate the airline has come under intensified scrutiny from the DGCA since the incident, with regulators reviewing internal practices and compliance systems more rigorously.