The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has suspended Air India’s Chief of Flight Safety for one month following an inspection that revealed deficiencies in the airline’s accident prevention protocol. The DGCA conducted the inspection on July 25 and 26, focusing on areas like internal audit, accident prevention work, and the availability of technical manpower.
Lapses were identified in accident prevention measures and the presence of required technical staff, as outlined in approved Flight Safety Manuals and civil aviation requirements. It was noted that some of the airline’s internal audits and spot checks were performed inadequately. In response, the DGCA issued show-cause notices to Air India officials and directed the airline not to assign audits or spot checks related to DGCA compliance to the auditor responsible for the inadequate inspections.