DGCA imposes Rs 1.10 crore penalty on Air India for safety violations, airline refutes charges

Aviation watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has slapped a Rs 1.10 crore penalty on Air India for safety violations in the operation of leased Boeing 777 jets to the United States. This is the second time in a week that the regulator has penalised Air India.

DGCA stated that it received a complaint from a former Air India pilot stating that the airline flew Boeing 777s to the United States without the necessary emergency oxygen delivery equipment. And after conducting a thorough investigation into the incident, the aviation regulator issued a show cause notice to the airline.

DGCA said in a release on Wednesday, "Since the said operations of the leased aircraft were not in line with regulatory/ OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) performance limits, DGCA has initiated enforcement action and imposed a penalty of Rs 1.10 crore on Air India."

Responding to the allegations, an Air India spokesperson said, "We disagree with the order issued by the DGCA. The issues raised were thoroughly examined by Air India along with external experts concluding that there was no compromise on safety, whatsoever. We are studying the order in detail and will review the options available to us including our right to appeal as well as taking it up with the regulator.” 

As per the release, the regulator conducted a thorough investigation after receiving a voluntary safety report from an airline employee alleging safety violations on flights operated by Air India on specific long-distance terrain important routes.

Since the probe indicated noncompliance by the airline, the DGCA issued a show cause notice to Air India, it added. The release did not include any specific details.

Before pursuing enforcement action, the DGCA reviewed the airline's response to the show cause notice in light of the statutory provisions and performance constraints outlined in the OEM's essential paperwork, according to the announcement.

DGCA penalises Air India: What's the case all about?

According to the complaint, the pilot, who previously served as a B777 commander, complained on October 29, 2023, about the airline's habit of not carrying the needed emergency oxygen supply equipment.

According to sources, at the time, the issue was that Air India had been running flights using leased B777 aircraft that carried a chemically-generated oxygen system that lasted approximately 12 minutes and so should not be used for the airline's direct flights to and from San Francisco.

The airline must consider that in the event of a depressurization emergency, there should be enough oxygen supply for all staff and passengers for any period of time longer than 12 minutes.

According to the complaint, depressurisation requires the aircraft to descend to a flight altitude of 10,000 feet or below. When flying over high hilly terrain with elevations of more than 9,000 to 10,000 feet, it may be impossible to drop below 10,000 feet in 12 minutes.

The complaint stated that this was due to the requirement to maintain a minimum flight altitude of more than 10,000 feet for more than 12 minutes in order to avoid wide tracts of high mountainous terrain extending for hundreds of miles below.

Regarding the complaint, an Air India spokesperson had said on November 3 last year, "The matter in question is multi-dimensional and has already been examined by Air India and external experts. We will restrain from offering any comment on this specific case but we wish to reiterate that the safety of our passengers and crew is our foremost priority and there is no compromise on the same." 

This is the second time in a week that the regulator has penalised Air India. As on January 17, DGCA had imposed a fine of Rs 30 lakh on Air India for lapses in rostering of pilots for operating flights in low visibility conditions. 

DGCA says 542 enforcement actions in 2023 for various violations, all-time high 5,745 surveillance activities  

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) announced on Wednesday that it conducted 542 enforcement actions last year, including against airlines and people, which is 77 per cent more than similar measures taken in 2022.

Last year, the aviation watchdog conducted 5,745 surveillance activities, a record high as part of expanded supervision measures.

DGCA said in a release, "Significant enforcement actions for the year 2023 included suspension of Approved Training Organisation of Air India and financial penalties on airlines like Air India, Air Asia, IndiGo and SpiceJet for various non-compliances. Enforcement Actions were also taken on erring pilots/cabin crew, ATCOs, non-scheduled airlines, flying training organisations and aerodrome operators."

According to the release, DGCA conducted 5,745 surveillance activities -- 4,039 planned surveillance activities, 1,706 spot checks and night surveillance -- which was an all-time high.

"During the year 2023, DGCA intensified its safety oversight efforts, conducting a staggering 5745 surveillances (4039 planned surveillances, 1706 spot checks and night surveillances) which is an all-time high. This marked a notable increase of 26% of surveillance activities compared to the year 2022, emphasizing the commitment to ensure compliance and safety within the aviation landscape," it informed.

"A total of 542 enforcement actions were taken in the year 2023 witnessing a 77 per cent increase as compared to the 305 enforcement actions carried out for the year 2022," it added.

Regarding the notable steps take, it stated, "Significant enforcement actions for the year 2023 included suspension of Approved Training Organization of M/s Air India and financial penalties on Airlines like M/s Air India, M/s Air Asia, M/s Indigo and M/s Spice Jet for various non-compliances."