In a recent development, Pilotcenter.net News reports that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) in India has taken swift action against Air India, the national carrier, by imposing sanctions on three executives within the airline’s crew scheduling department. This move comes in response to what the DGCA has classified as "repeated and serious violations of crew safety regulations" within the organization.

The airline has been directed to remove three senior officials from the crew scheduling department due to their direct involvement in these safety breaches. The DGCA's response underscores its commitment to upholding stringent safety standards in the Indian aviation industry, particularly following the recent tragic incident of AI1171 in Ahmedabad, which resulted in the loss of 270 lives.

The violations pertaining to crew scheduling practices were voluntarily reported by Air India itself, highlighting a breach of established regulations concerning licensing, flight duty time, and rest periods. These regulations play a critical role in preventing fatigue-related incidents and ensuring that flight crew members are always fit for duty while operating commercial flights.

A recent investigation into Air India's crew rostering procedures revealed several infractions, notably in the scheduling of flight crews for long-haul flights. Specific instances, such as crewing two consecutive flights between Bengaluru and London, exceeded legally mandated flight duty hours and violated safety protocols.

Following a spot check on specific flights, the DGCA issued a 'show cause' notice to Air India’s Accountable Manager, pertaining to flights exceeding the safety limit for flight time. As a consequence, key personnel within the airline, including Choorah Singh, Pinky Mittal, and Payal Arora, have been directed to face disciplinary action and have been reassigned to non-operational roles pending internal investigations.

The DGCA's firm stance on enforcing compliance is evident in their directive, emphasizing the severity of enforcement actions against future violations related to flight crew scheduling and operational limitations. Air India has responded by acknowledging the issues and taking immediate steps to address the violations, reaffirming its commitment to upholding safety standards across its operations.