Air India Faces Scrutiny Over Safety Violations in Flight Operations

Regulatory Action Against Air India

On January 1, the aviation authority of India issued a show-cause notice to the cockpit crew of Air India for continuing to operate several flights between Delhi and Tokyo despite known safety and compliance issues. The airline has been given a two-week period to respond to this notice.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) highlighted concerns regarding flight AI-357 from Delhi to Tokyo and AI-358 returning to Delhi, stating that the Minimum Equipment List (MEL) for the aircraft was not compliant.

As of now, Air India has not provided a response to the DGCA's notice. The authority emphasized that this incident is not unique, as similar safety lapses have been identified on other routes previously.

Additionally, the DGCA has requested that the pilots justify why they should not face disciplinary action under the Aircraft Rules and Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR).

The notice specifically addresses the operation of a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which has experienced recurring technical issues.

In a related incident last month, an Air India flight from Delhi to Mumbai had to return shortly after takeoff due to an engine shutdown. The DGCA announced an investigation into this occurrence, where the B777-300ER aircraft safely landed back in Delhi.

The regulator reported that during the flap retraction phase post-takeoff, the flight crew detected low oil pressure in Engine No. 2, leading to the engine's shutdown and a safe landing.

The DGCA confirmed that inspections and necessary rectifications are currently underway, and the incident will be examined by the Permanent Investigation Board of the Airline under the oversight of the Director of Air Safety (NR), DGCA.