The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India’s aviation watchdog, has directed Air India to take immediate action against three senior officials over “serious and repeated violations” concerning flight crew scheduling protocols.
The lapses—voluntarily reported by the airline—highlighted instances where crew members were assigned and flown on flights despite not meeting mandatory rest, licensing, and recency requirements. These violations came to light during a review following the airline’s transition from the ARMS (Aviation Resource Management System) to the new CAE Flight and Crew Management System.
“Although the voluntary disclosure is acknowledged, it points to deeper systemic issues in crew scheduling, compliance oversight, and internal accountability. What’s particularly concerning is the lack of strong disciplinary action against the officials directly responsible for these failures,” said the DGCA in its June 20 order.
The DGCA identified three officials as directly accountable:
- Choorah Singh, Divisional Vice President
- Pinky Mittal, Chief Manager, Directorate of Operations (Crew Scheduling)
- Payal Arora, Crew Scheduling – Planning
The order follows closely after a tragic crash of an Air India flight from Ahmedabad to London-Gatwick, which killed 241 people shortly after takeoff.
The regulator held the three officials responsible for allowing unauthorized and non-compliant crew assignments, repeated violations of aviation safety norms, and systemic breakdowns in scheduling and monitoring procedures.
The DGCA has instructed Air India to immediately relieve the officials of all duties related to crew scheduling and rostering.
It further stated, “Disciplinary proceedings must be initiated without delay, and the outcome must be reported to this office within ten days of the letter’s issuance.”
Pending the implementation of corrective reforms, the three officials will be reassigned to non-operational roles and barred from positions involving any direct impact on flight safety or crew compliance.
In response, an Air India spokesperson said, “We acknowledge the directive issued by the regulator and have taken steps to implement the order. In the interim, the company’s Chief Operations Officer will oversee the Integrated Operations Control Centre (IOCC).”
“Air India remains fully committed to upholding all safety protocols and adhering to established standards,” the airline added.
