Air India faces a penalty of ₹1.10 crore from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for alleged safety violations on certain “long-range terrain critical routes”. Meanwhile, the airline vehemently denied the accusations, asserting that a thorough examination by external experts has found no safety concerns.

According to DGCA, the Tata-owned airline has been fined for not following safety rules on certain long flights. The DGCA looked into a safety complaint from an Air India employee and found evidence of the airline not following the safety guidelines on specific long routes.

After the investigation, the DGCA sent a notice to Air India because the airline did not comply with the safety rules. The safety concerns were related to planes that Air India had leased. The DGCA explained that these leased planes did not operate within the limits set by regulations and the original equipment manufacturer (OEM).

“Since the said operations of the leased aircraft were not in line with regulatory/ OEM performance limits, DGCA has initiated enforcement action and imposed a penalty of ₹1.10 crore on Air India,” said DGCA. 

Disputing the DGCA’s order, Air India challenged the imposed fine related to safety violations concerning leased Boeing 777 planes operating on routes to the US. The penalties stem from a complaint lodged by a former pilot in October, highlighting concerns about the Boeing 777 aircraft’s chemically generated oxygen system, lasting only 12 minutes. The pilot contended that these aircraft should not be utilized for direct flights to and from San Francisco. Allegedly, he was terminated three months after raising the safety issue.

In response to the allegations, Air India released a statement stating that the matter had undergone a comprehensive examination by the airline and external experts. The conclusion was that there had been no compromise on safety. Expressing disagreement with the DGCA’s order, Air India stated, “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.”

Earlier, the DGCA, following an investigation, claimed prima facie evidence of the airline’s non-compliance. A show-cause notice was issued to Air India’s accountable manager. The DGCA asserted that the airline’s response was scrutinized against statutory provisions and performance limits outlined by the original equipment manufacturer (OEM). According to the DGCA, the operations of the leased aircraft did not align with regulatory/OEM performance limits, justifying the ₹1.10 crore fine.

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