Air India warned by watchdog over pilot scheduling breaches
India's aviation watchdog has issued a warning to Air India over "repeated and serious violations" of rules relating to flights from Bengaluru to London.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) instructed Air India to remove three company executives from crew scheduling roles over the breaches, according to government reports, seen by the Reuters news agency.
A divisional vice president, a chief manager of crew scheduling, and a planning executive have been removed at the aviation agency's instruction.
The flights on 16 May and 17 May exceeded the allowed pilot flight time limit of 10 hours, according to the report.
It cited "systemic failures in scheduling protocol and oversights" and criticised the lack of strict disciplinary measures against responsible officials.
The report is unrelated to this month's crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8 that killed 241 people.
0:34
The Gatwick-bound flight, which was carrying 53 Britons, came down just after take-off from Ahmedabad airport in western India on Thursday, 12 June.
An investigation into the crash is ongoing.
1:57
On Thursday, authorities warned Air India for breaching safety rules after three of its Airbus planes flew despite being overdue for checks on emergency equipment of escape slides.
In a statement to Reuters, Air India said it has implemented the DGCA order, and in the interim, the company's chief operations officer will directly oversee the Integrated Operations Control Centre.
"Air India is committed to ensuring that there is total adherence to safety protocols and standard practices," it added.
The DGCA stated in its order that Air India had voluntarily disclosed the violations.
Last year, around half of the fines handed out by India's aviation agency were given to Air India or Air India Express.
The biggest fine was $127,000 (£94,370) on Air India for "insufficient oxygen on board" during some international flights.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Naga Munchetty tells how she has always 'hated seeing people bullied' - after she too faced complaint amid probes into BBC Breakfast culture
Naga Munchetty has said she 'hated' to see people bullied at school after it was revealed she allegedly bullied a junior staffer on BBC Breakfast last year. In an interview days before the allegations against her resurfaced, the presenter, 50, had said she battled against rude comments made about her appearance and talent. The TV and radio host from south London said: 'I was no angel but I hated seeing people bullied. 'I remember there were a couple of kids in school who were bullied and I just hated it. 'So I'd always kind of be that person who would speak to everyone.' Speaking on the Walking The Dog With Emily Dean podcast she explained that she confronts people that upset her at work. The presenter, who is already at the centre of BBC Breakfast 's toxicity row, was reportedly spoken to by bosses over a sex jibe she made while off-air at BBC Radio 5 Live. This comes as BBC Breakfast finds itself at the centre of a bullying and misconduct probe, with editor Richard Frediani taking an extended period of leave after an internal review of the allegations was opened into the show. According to The Sun, Naga used a slang term for a sex act during an off-air break. In an interview days before the allegations against her resurfaced, the presenter, 50, had said she battled against rude comments made about her appearance and talent The alleged remark in 2022 was said to have stunned the studio and led to Naga being spoken to by bosses. It was then reported that on BBC Breakfast last year, Naga was spoken to over alleged bullying of a woman. The BBC are now reportedly facing questions over whether there are 'double standards'. It comes as it was also reported that BBC Breakfast's editor Richard has taken an extended period of leave, after an internal review of bullying and misconduct allegations was opened into the show. It was previously claimed that the show's staff are feeling increasingly 'uneasy' around Frediani, with the former Head of ITV News accused of 'shaking' a female editor while working on the show. The Sun claimed that Richard has stepped back from the show, and while he had already taken time off to go on holiday, has mutually agreed to extend his break. Sources are also claiming that BBC bosses have held a series of meetings on how to handle the developing crisis. In an internal email obtained by the publication, John McAndrew, Director of Live and Daily News, thanked staff for their 'positivity' during this 'stressful time' - and informed them of Richard's decision. A source added: 'Fredi was already taking a break because obviously the allegations against him have been pretty damning, and he needed time to reflect. 'He's devastated by some of the claims and has also had a lot of behind the scenes support from colleagues, many of whom think he's a brilliant boss. 'BBC executives have ensured duty of care measures and he is still in touch with a few of the team. Right now, it's imperative that the BBC gets its house in order and ensures everyone is happy.' When contacted by MailOnline, a BBC representative said: 'While we do not comment on individual cases, we take all complaints about conduct at work extremely seriously and will not tolerate behaviour that is not in line with our values. 'We have robust processes in place and would encourage any staff with concerns to raise them directly with us so they can be addressed.'
The Sun
3 hours ago
- The Sun
Rail minister Peter Hendy facing private prosecution for texting while driving vintage double-decker bus
RAIL minister Peter Hendy is facing a private prosecution for texting while driving a busload of sightseers. Police dropped the case against Lord Hendy citing 'insufficient evidence' — despite him apologising. But passenger John Sarson, 68, who made the initial complaint to cops, has applied to prosecute. The businessman said he saw Lord Hendy texting at the wheel of a vintage double-decker bus near Westminster Bridge in central London on March 28. In April, a spokesman for the 72-year-old peer said: 'Last month Peter Hendy used his phone while driving. He has apologised in full for this error of judgment and has contacted the police.' A source said: 'John is baffled over how someone can admit to police he committed an offence but not face prosecution.' The Met Police initially said in April the case had been closed because of a lack of evidence. But Lord Hendy then reported himself to the Met which reopened the case before closing it again last month. John is waiting to hear from the City of London magistrates' court if his legal bid is successful. Lord Hendy was approached for comment. 1
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
EXCLUSIVE 'The life we built has been destroyed': Heartbroken family-of-five left homeless after 'stranger burnt down £64k canal boat because he wrongly believed they had torched his boat'
A devastated family-of-five fears their 'life has been destroyed' after an intruder allegedly broke into their houseboat and set it alight in what is believed to be a case of mistaken identity. For the last six years, Tess, 35, and her husband Akin, 33, have painstakingly turned their canal boat from an empty shell into a comfortable family home. They always viewed 'October' - named after the month in which their first child Asa, five, was born - as more than just a floating residence. Aside from the cosy internal living area, the 60ft boat was built to be a sustainable home, with solar power panels, a water filtration system and its very own roof garden, which was known for its lush array of tomatoes, strawberries, aubergines, cucumbers and potatoes. There were also many other reasons the boat held such a special place in their hearts - for it was here on board October that the couple's two youngest children Myra-Rae, 3 and Zephaniah, aged four months, were born. But cherished memories might be all the family have left to hold onto after their houseboat, docked in Hackney Wick, east London, was set alight by an individual unknown to the family in the early hours of Saturday, May 24. Thankfully, Tess and the children were away camping at the time, while Akin had gone out for the evening with friends. But when he returned, fire crews were already at the scene battling to put out the ferocious flames. In that moment, Akin, who works as a digital health consultant, believed it could be 'the end of everything' - and was left helplessly watching from the bridge as October was consumed by flames. Before and after: The family had lovingly restored the boat from a shell into a 'beautiful' home - but now they fear they might not be able to return A Met Police officer told the family afterwards they may have simply been unfortunate victims of 'mistaken identity' in a possible tit for tat boat-burning incident. Now effectively homeless, the family has had to resort to staying for a few days at a time with friends after Hackney Council revealed there was no emergency housing anywhere in London. As a single income family-of-five they say a mortgage is simply out of their reach, while the cost to restore the boat to its former glory could prove far too high. Adding to their woes, they bought October in 2019 as an unfitted boat for £64,000 and spent the next six years transforming it into their 'beautiful' family home. But they did not get it reassessed by their insurance before the boat was set ablaze - meaning they stand to only get a payout for its original value as an empty vessel and not what it could have been worth before the fire. Determined to help them return to the life they one knew, friends of the family have set up a GoFundMe appeal to ease their financial burden, but the couple admit the tragedy could spell the end of their canal boating days. Speaking to MailOnline, Tess explained how she and Akin first began living on canal boats nine years ago. 'The lifestyle we have enjoyed with the children has been wonderful because you can be in London, but you're also in nature. 'You've got the marshes and the ducks on the water. There's a really nice boating community and we've met many other families with young children.' But that almost idyllic existence was brought to an abrupt halt over the last Bank Holiday weekend. Recalling the events of that night, Akin said he was walking home after an evening out with friends when he could see an array of emergency lights in the distance and 'a massive deal going on'. He said: 'A fireman stopped me and said: "Well, you can't come through here." But then I told him I live on a boat, so he walked me up to the bridge, pointed and said, "Is it that boat there?" 'That's when I saw my home was on fire. There were firefighters and police cars everywhere. 'In that moment I just thought it was the end of everything. I couldn't imagine anything surviving from what I could see - not much did. 'But it was also this feeling of we built that. It's not like we rented the boat. That was everything we had built over the last almost 10 years. 'It just felt unbelievable to think everything was gone.' Among the items destroyed forever were those steeped in sentimental value, including a teddy bear their eldest, Asa, has slept with since he was a baby. Tess said: 'I lost my great-grandmother's jewellery box, which she had given to me and I was really close to her. So that was upsetting. 'There was also a quilt, which is an old family thing, and also another quilt that my mum made for my son when he was born, and lots of things like that.' Meanwhile Akin has lost many of his prized personal effects. 'I've been DJing since I was 16 to pay my way through university - now all my DJ equipment has gone and my record collection has melted,' he said. 'All my musical instruments, the piano, my guitars, they were destroyed as well. 'I enjoyed collecting sneakers since I was 20, and those have all been burnt up. 'We hardly have anything of our own anymore.' In the aftermath of the incident, the couple say returning to the fire-ravaged wreck has left them traumatised as they began to process what had happened. 'The first time I went back I was in shock. Just the devastation was incredible. 'Everything was gone, it was full of water and there was broken glass everywhere. 'I had to go in again when the insurance surveyor came and looked at it, and I found that much harder. I came out shaking that time,' said Tess. Asa added: 'I couldn't recognise my own home. Part of me thought we had been broken into and robbed, but the forensics guy started pointing out computers, phones, water bottles. I didn't recognise anything because it had all melted.' For now, the family are trying to come to terms with the loss of their home as they decide what their next steps will be. While they have been offered emergency housing, it would have meant having to move miles outside of London and away from friends, school and work. 'The first thing my three-year-old asked when I told her about the fire was "has my nursery burnt down as well?", recalled Tess. 'I couldn't take the children away from everything they know. 'They've lost their home. I can't have them lose everything else all at the same time. 'So I was desperate to keep them at their school and in the community. 'Moving away would also mean that Akin and I wouldn't have any support or help, and it just seemed completely overwhelming. 'But it's hard for us, because every week we are having to find someone else who can host us. We understand that no one can put up a family-of-five indefinitely.' Akin continued: 'The insurance money might pay for rent for two or three years, but it's not enough for a mortgage. That's the real shock of the whole thing. We don't really know how to restart. 'People have discussed rebuilding the boat, but a couple of professionals we spoke to said the interiors could be very toxic, and we're not sure we could afford to get it rebuilt and refitted. 'Our friends and the boating community have been just overwhelmingly supportive and kind. 'We're just trying to see what our way forward will be.' A 34-year-old man of no fixed address has been charged with arson with recklessness as to whether life was endangered. He is due to appear at Wood Green Crown Court next week.
