Air India Faces License Threat Amidst Pilot Staffing Violations and Crash Scrutiny

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in India has issued a warning to Air India, indicating potential license suspension or revocation. This action follows the removal of three Air India staff members due to "repeated and serious violations" concerning pilot staffing practices. The DGCA's decision stems from an investigation into operational failures.

The regulatory body identified "systemic failures in crew scheduling, compliance monitoring, and internal accountability" as the basis for its enforcement. The DGCA has emphasized that any future breaches of crew scheduling regulations, licensing requirements, or flight time limitations will result in "strict enforcement action." This could include penalties, license suspension, or even the withdrawal of operating permissions.

The DGCA ordered the immediate removal of Choorah Singh, divisional vice president of the Integrated Operations Control Centre (IOCC), Pinky Mittal, chief manager-DOPS, crew scheduling, and Payal Arora, crew scheduling-planning, from all roles related to crew scheduling and rostering. The DGCA's enforcement order highlighted the lack of disciplinary measures against key officials responsible for operational lapses.

While the DGCA has not explicitly linked its recent enforcement to a recent plane crash, the regulator is increasing its scrutiny of the airline. The crash involved a London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner that occurred shortly after takeoff, resulting in numerous fatalities. Investigations into the cause of the crash are ongoing, with the aircraft's black boxes recovered. Air India has stated its compliance with the DGCA directive and has removed the three officials. The airline has also stated that its chief operations officer will oversee the IOCC.