DGCA's Strong Stance: DGCA Directs Removal of Senior Officials Over Crew Lapses

New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): Few days after the deadly Plane crash in Ahmedabad, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has directed Air India to remove 3 senior officials responsible for crew rostering due to "serious and repeated lapses" in licensing, rest and recency requirements. It has also warned that any kind of violation of crew scheduling nirms, licensing or flight time limitations will attract strict enforcement action, including penalties, license suspension or withdrawal of operator permissions.

Key Highlights:

1. Removal of Officials: Three senior Air India officials have been directed to be removed from their roles and responsibilities related to crew scheduling and rostering.

2. Lapses: The officials were found to be involved in serious and repeated lapses, including unauthorized and non-compliant crew pairings, violation of mandatory licensing and recency norms, and systemic failures in scheduling protocol and oversight.

3. Warning: The DGCA has warned Air India that any future violations will attract strict enforcement action, including penalties, license suspension, or withdrawal of operator permissions.

4. Response: Air India has acknowledged the regulator's directive and implemented the order, with the company's Chief Operations Officer providing direct oversight to the Integrated Operations Control Centre (IOCC).

Additional Action:

The DGCA has also issued a show-cause notice to Air India for violating Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) norms for pilots of two Bangalore-London flights on May 16 and 17. The regulator has sought a response from Air India within seven days.

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