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DGCA sends four show notices to Air India for violation of norms
The airline has been given two weeks to respond to the notices. In all, the airline had reported 25 violations of norms.
NEW DELHI: India’s aviation regulator on Wednesday issued four show cause notices to Air India for violations related to operational procedures, cabin crew training rules and their rest and duty norms.
The four notices were issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Wednesday, following the airline’s voluntary reporting of the violations on June 20 and 21.
A statement from Air India said it would respond to the notices within the stipulated two-week period.
“We acknowledge receipt of these notices from the regulator related to certain voluntary disclosures that were made over the last one year by Air India. We will respond to the said notices within the stipulated period. We remain committed to the safety of our crew and passengers,” the statement said.
The airline has been given two weeks to respond to the notices. In all, the airline had reported 25 violations of norms.
The violation of rules relating to the crew’s duty and rest period, the notice stated, was in connection with flights operated on June 24, 2024, and June 15, 2025.
Another notice was issued following voluntary disclosure on June 21 that reported three violations in cabin crew training and operational procedures. These were related to flights on December 1, April 10 and 11, 2024, and May 16 and 19, 2025.
To be sure, the government has also started holding direct meetings with Air India management amid mounting safety incidents and ordered the carrier to maintain the highest safety standards. The first such meeting was held on Wednesday, in the midst of week in which an Air India aircraft caught fire at Delhi airport after landing from Hong Kong, a Kolkata-bound flight aborted takeoff due to technical issues, and a Kochi-Mumbai flight veered off the runway during landing in heavy rain.
Air India has been facing enhanced surveillance after its flight from Ahmedabad following the June 12 crash of Air India Flight 171 that killed 260 people.
The Boeing 787 crash in Ahmedabad marked one of aviation’s deadliest tragedies in recent years and prompted comprehensive safety reviews.
A preliminary report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AAIB) has identified the fuel control switches, which were set to cut off during takeoff, as the main cause of the crash. Why the switches were flipped, or by whom, is now at the heart of the probe. Since that incident, at least 15 other operational issues and serious incidents have been reported involving Air India and its low-cost service arm Air India Express.
