DGCA orders Air India to suspend three officials with immediate effect
Three of Air India's employees were fired by the DGCA due to recent safety violations.
Aadrika Tayal 
New Delhi (India) June 21: On Saturday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which regulates aviation, ordered Air India to fire three of its workers for recent safety violations. The incident involving the safety violations and the dismissal of the Air India staff occurs just days after a jet carrying 270 people from London crashed in Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
The DGCA ordered Air India to remove the three individuals from all positions and duties relating to crew scheduling and rostering and instructed the airlines to pursue "internal disciplinary proceedings" against them.
The order started, “The voluntary disclosures, while noted, point to systemic failures in crew scheduling, compliance monitoring, and internal accountability. Of particular concern is the absence of strict disciplinary measures against key officials directly responsible for these operational lapses.”
The ongoing non-compliance has been specifically linked by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to Choorah Singh, Divisional Vice President, Pinky Mittal, Chief Manager-DOPS, Crew Scheduling, and Payal Arora, Crew Scheduling-Planning.
The action follows Air India's voluntary disclosure that flight crew were being scheduled and operated in violation of important flight safety criteria, including licensing, flying duty duration, and rest periods.
Air India said, “We acknowledge the regulator’s directive and have implemented the order. In the interim, the company's Chief Operations Officer will provide direct oversight to the Integrated Operations Control Centre (IOCC). Air India is committed to ensuring that there is total adherence to safety protocols and standard practices” in a statement.
The DGCA further cautioned Air India that severe enforcement action will be taken against any future violations relating to crew scheduling, licensing, or flying time restrictions, whether they are found during audits or regular inspections. This may involve fines, license suspensions, or, in certain cases, the cancellation of Air India's operator permits.
Shortly after takeoff, an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner going to London crashed into the BJ Medical College dorm complex. The plane took off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on the afternoon of June 12 and crashed shortly after in the Meghani Nagar area of Ahmedabad, Gujarat.
Aadrika Tayal
