New Delhi, June 22 — The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has warned that it may suspend or revoke Air India’s operating license, citing “serious and repeated violations” in pilot scheduling and oversight. The move follows the June 12 crash of a London-bound Air India flight that killed 241 passengers and crew and at least 30 people on the ground.
In an enforcement order issued June 20, the DGCA directed Air India to immediately remove three senior officials from key operational roles: Choorah Singh, divisional vice president of the Integrated Operations Control Centre (IOCC); Pinky Mittal, chief manager of DOPS crew scheduling; and Payal Arora, in charge of crew scheduling-planning.
The regulator cited systemic failures in crew scheduling, compliance monitoring, and internal accountability as justification for the action. The order noted that “strict disciplinary measures were absent” despite multiple documented lapses by the removed officials.
The DGCA warned that any future violations of crew scheduling norms, licensing conditions, or flight time limitations detected in audits or inspections will trigger strict penalties, including license suspension or withdrawal of operational permissions.
The heightened scrutiny comes amid an ongoing investigation by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) into the Ahmedabad takeoff crash involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which had raised serious questions about Air India’s operational compliance and safety standards. (Agencies)
