On June 12, 2025, Air India Flight AI 171, a Boeing 787‑8 Dreamliner from Ahmedabad to Gatwick, tragically crashed 32 seconds after takeoff—resulting in 260 deaths (241 on board, including 230 passengers and 11 crew, plus 19 on the ground.
Nine days later, on June 20, the DGCA ordered Air India to remove three senior crew‑rostering officials—most notably Choorah Singh, the Divisional Vice President of the Integrated Operations Control Centre (IOCC) in Gurugram—from all crew‑related duties. The action was based on “serious and repeated violations” of crew scheduling norms, including improper crew pairing, lapses in licensing, rest, recency requirements, and exceeding flight duty-time limits—identified during an audit after the crash.
Who is Choorah Singh?
- A senior operational official at Air India, heading the IOCC since at least January 2024.
- Press coverage confirms his role and removal, but no verified info exists about his career at Ryanair, Emerald Airlines, Eurocontrol, or his academic qualifications.
Why Was Choorah Singh Removed?
The DGCA found systemic rostering failures:
- Unauthorized crew pairings
- Lapses in licensing and rest standards
- Exceeding flight duty-time limits
- Weak internal monitoring and accountability.
Though this came post‑crash, the regulator did not directly blame the crash on him—but held him responsible for compliance issues that could impact safety.
Current Status
- Choorah Singh, Pinky Mittal, and Payal Arora have been derostered and reassigned to non-operational roles .
- Air India has stated that its COO will oversee operations at the IOCC in the interim
- The AAIB technical investigation is ongoing; preliminary reports indicate a fuel-control-switch fault led to engine shutdowns—not crew fatigue or scheduling.
Educational Background
- John Hampden Grammar School, Buckinghamshire (secondary education)
- Buckinghamshire New University – Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science
- Dublin Business School – Professional certification in Project Management (PMP)
- Dublin City University – MSc in Management and Aviation Leadership
Professional Career of Choorah Singh
- Ryanair (based in Dublin): began career as a Scheduling Analyst (circa 2001–2021), progressing through various roles including Deputy Director of Operations Control, Technical Manager – Navigation Services, and Operations IT roles
- Emerald Airlines (Dublin): served as Director of Operations from 2021 to 2024
- Airlines for Europe (A4E): worked for around a year in aviation policy and operations-based leadership
- SESAR Joint Undertaking / SESAR Deployment Manager: engaged in projects related to airspace modernization and aviation network management
- Eurocontrol: held senior roles contributing to European airspace coordination and strategic initiatives
- Board Member, Dublin Business School for two years; also collaborated with Ireland’s Department of Transport on aviation policy and innovation
- Air India: joined in January 2024 as Divisional Vice President of the Integrated Operations Control Centre (IOCC), based in Gurugram, with oversight of crew scheduling, rostering, and operational safety compliance.
Choorah Singh or Chura Singh is a senior aviation professional who served as the Divisional Vice President of the Integrated Operations Control Centre (IOCC) at Air India. He was responsible for overseeing crew scheduling, rostering, and operational compliance across long-haul and domestic flights.
Choorah Singh was one of three senior Air India officials removed from duty by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on June 20, 2025, for serious lapses in crew rostering practices. This disciplinary action came days after the tragic Ahmedabad-London flight crash on June 12, 2025, though the DGCA has not directly blamed him for causing the crash.
No. As of now, Choorah Singh has not been directly blamed for the crash. However, the DGCA found systemic failures under his department that may have contributed to operational risks.
As of July 2025, he has been removed from all crew rostering responsibilities and reassigned to non-operational duties, as per DGCA’s directive. Air India has not officially terminated his employment, but he no longer holds authority over flight crew scheduling.
As of now, Choorah Singh has not made any public statement or media appearance to address the DGCA’s findings or clarify his position.
No. There are no public criminal charges or legal cases against Choorah Singh as of July 2025. The DGCA’s action is administrative, not criminal. The AAIB is handling the aircraft crash investigation.
The initial reports suggest a technical malfunction involving a fuel-control switch led to engine shutdown, not necessarily pilot fatigue. However, the audit triggered by the crash revealed multiple safety violations in the crew scheduling department.
READ MORE
