The North News
New Delhi, June 21
The DGCA has directed Air India to remove three senior officials after discovering repeated violations in crew scheduling protocols, including the deployment of unlicensed or overworked pilots. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) swung into action following the crash of Air India flight AI-171 in Ahmedabad on June 12 — an incident that has placed the airline’s operational procedures under intense scrutiny.
In a sharply worded directive, the DGCA cited “unauthorised and non-compliant crew pairings” and systemic failures in monitoring licensing, rest periods and recency norms. The violations were detected during a post-transition audit of Air India’s shift from ARMS to the CAE Crew Management System. The DGCA has directed Air India to remove three officials include the Divisional Vice President, Chief Manager (DOPS), and the officer in charge of crew scheduling and planning.
“Of particular concern is the absence of strict disciplinary measures against key officials directly responsible for these operational lapses,” the order stated.
Air India has been directed to reassign crew scheduling duties away from the removed officials, submit a root cause analysis and a corrective action plan within ten days and ensure that all future flight rosters fully comply with licensing and rest regulations. The regulator further warned that continued breaches could result in the suspension of the airline’s crew rostering privileges.
