Air India Express warned over Airbus engine fix delays and record falsification
In a statement, Air India Express told Reuters it acknowledged the error to the Indian watchdog and undertook 'remedial action and preventive measures'.
Air India has been under intense scrutiny since the June Boeing Dreamliner crash in Ahmedabad which killed all but one of the 242 people onboard. The world's worst aviation disaster in a decade is still being investigated.
The engine issue in the Air India Express' Airbus was raised on March 18, months before the crash. But the regulator has this year also warned parent Air India for breaching rules for flying three Airbus planes with overdue checks on escape slides, and in June warned it about 'serious violations' of pilot duty timings.
Air India Express is a subsidiary of Air India, which is owned by the Tata Group. It has more than 115 aircraft and flies to more than 50 destinations, with 500 daily flights.
The European Union Aviation Safety Agency in 2023 issued an airworthiness directive to address a 'potential unsafe condition' on CFM International LEAP-1A engines, asking for replacement of some components such as engine seals and rotating parts, saying some manufacturing deficiencies had been found.
The agency's directive said 'this condition, if not corrected, could lead to failure of affected parts, possibly resulting in high energy debris release, with consequent damage to, and reduced control of, the aeroplane.'
The Indian government's confidential memo in March sent to the airline, seen by Reuters, said that surveillance by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) revealed the parts modification 'was not complied' on an engine of an Airbus A320 'within the prescribed time limit'.
'In order to show that the work has been carried out within the prescribed limits, the AMOS records have apparently been altered/forged,' the memo added, referring to the Aircraft Maintenance and Engineering Operating System software used by airlines to manage maintenance and airworthiness.
The 'mandatory' modification was required on Air India Express' VT-ATD plane, the memo added. That plane typically flies on domestic routes and some international destinations such as Dubai and Muscat, according to the AirNav Radar website.
The lapse 'indicates that accountable manager has failed to ensure quality control,' it added/
Air India Express told Reuters its technical team missed the scheduled implementation date for parts replacement due to the migration of records on its monitoring software, and fixed the problem soon after it was identified.
It did not give dates of compliance or directly address DGCA's comment about records being altered, but said that after the March memo it took 'necessary administrative actions', which included removing the quality manager from their position and suspending the deputy continuing airworthiness manager.
The DGCA and the European safety agency did not respond to Reuters queries.
Airbus and CFM International, a joint venture between General Electric and Safran, also did not respond.
The lapse was first flagged during a DGCA audit in October 2024 and the plane in question took only a few trips after it was supposed to replace the CFM engine parts, a source with direct knowledge said.
'Such issues should be fixed immediately. It's a grave mistake. The risk increases when you are flying over sea or near restricted airpsace,' said Vibhuti Singh, a former legal expert at the India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.
The Indian government told parliament in February that authorities warned or fined airlines in 23 instances for safety violations last year. Three of those cases involved Air India Express, and eight Air India. - Reuters
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
32 minutes ago
- The Sun
BRICS nations voice ‘serious concerns' over Trump tariffs
RIO DE JANEIRO: BRICS leaders meeting in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday are expected to decry US President Donald Trump's 'indiscriminate' trade tariffs, saying they are illegal and risk hurting the global economy. Emerging nations, which represent about half the world's population and 40 percent of global economic output, have united over 'serious concerns' about US import tariffs, according to a draft summit statement obtained by AFP on Saturday. Since coming to office in January, Trump has threatened allies and rivals alike with a slew of punitive duties. His latest salvo comes in the form of letters informing trading partners of new tariff rates that will soon enter into force. The draft summit declaration does not mention the United States or its president by name, and could yet be amended by leaders gathering for talks Sunday and Monday. But it is a clear political shot directed at Washington from 11 emerging nations, including Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. 'We voice serious concerns about the rise of unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures which distort trade and are inconsistent with WTO (World Trade Organization) rules,' the draft text says. It warns that such measures 'threaten to further reduce global trade' and are 'affecting the prospects for global economic development.' Xi no show Conceived two decades ago as a forum for fast-growing economies, the BRICS have come to be seen as a Chinese-driven counterbalance to Western power. But the summit's political punch will be depleted by the absence of China's Xi Jinping, who is skipping the annual meeting for the first time in his 12 years as president. That absence has prompted fevered speculation in some quarters. 'The simplest explanation may hold the most explanatory power. Xi recently hosted Lula in Beijing,' said Ryan Hass, a former China director at the US National Security Council who is now with the Brookings Institution think tank. The Chinese leader will not be the only notable absentee. War crime-indicted Russian President Vladimir Putin is also opting to stay away, but will participate via video link, according to the Kremlin. Hass said Putin's non-attendance and the fact that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be a guest of honor in Brazil could also be factors in Xi's absence. 'Xi does not want to appear upstaged by Modi,' who will receive a state lunch, he said. 'I expect Xi's decision to delegate attendance to Premier Li (Qiang) rests amidst these factors.' Still, the Xi no-show is a blow to host President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who wants Brazil to play a bigger role on the world stage. In the year to November 2025, Brazil will have hosted a G20 summit, a BRICS summit, and COP30 international climate talks, all before heading into fiercely contested presidential elections next year, in which he is expected to run. Lula warmly welcomed leaders and dignitaries on Saturday, including China's Premier Li Qiang, as the leftist president hosted a pre-summit business forum in Rio. 'Faced with the resurgence of protectionism, it is up to emerging countries to defend the multilateral trade regime and reform the international financial architecture,' Lula told the event. Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian, whose nation is still reeling from a 12-day conflict with Israel, is also skipping the meeting and will be represented by Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi. A source familiar with the negotiations said Iran had sought a tougher condemnation of Israel and the United States over their recent bombing of Iranian military, nuclear and other sites. But one diplomatic source said the text would give the 'same message' that BRICS delivered last month. Then Iran's allies expressed 'grave concern' about strikes against Iran, but did not explicitly mention Israel or the United States. Artificial intelligence and health will also be on the agenda at the summit. Original members of the bloc Brazil, Russia, India, and China have been joined by South Africa and, more recently, Saudi Arabia, Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Ethiopia and Indonesia.
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
France-M'sia forge new path
Macron hails Anwar's visit as a success which will boost ties PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron regards Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim's visit as a success, given the progress made in jointly reviving partnerships across all sectors. Macron said the rapprochement between the two nations' economies and shared diversification strategies were essential. He was referring to the newly signed project in the critical minerals and rare earths sector with the company Carester, which just opened a plant in Lacq, the historic cooperation between Malaysia Airlines and Airbus when it came to transport, and also in the field of energy transition. 'In South-East Asia, I reiterated our support for regional electricity connectivity, including support for civil nuclear energy. Strong bond: Macron welcoming Anwar for a working dinner at the Elysee Palace in Paris; and (below) Anwar presenting a Quran to the Rector of the Grand Mosque of Paris, Chems-eddine Mohamed Hafiz, during Friday prayers in Paris. — Reuters/Bernama 'I must also mention the exchanges between our artists, researchers, academics, and students – all those who bring the France-Malaysia relationship to life. New agreements are in view to continue weaving this human connection between our countries.' In turn, Anwar said the collaboration among the private sector was why government to government arrangements and exchanges with ministers should continue at the higher level. 'I think we have benefited immensely from the education (sector), the AI, the digital engineering that many of our students have been trained in here. 'We want to further explore. We have now started to get French students into Malaysia, and tourism is also increasing,' he added.
The Star
an hour ago
- The Star
AirAsia-Airbus upgrade fuels travel hub aspiration
Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim (fourth, left) witnesses Capital A Chief Executive Officer Tan Sri Tony Fernandes (third, left) with Airbus Commercial Aircraft Chief Executive Officer Christian Scherer (fourth, right) showing the Memorandum of Understanding during the signing ceremony for the purchase of 70 A321XLR aircraft worth US$12.25 billion (approximately RM51.7 billion) between Capital A and Airbus. Also present were Transport Minister Anthony Loke Siew Fook, Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz, and Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan. - Bernama PARIS: AirAsia's acquisition of A321XLR aircraft from Airbus will strengthen the airline's operational capabilities for short- and medium-haul routes, says Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim. The Prime Minister, who witnessed the signing of the purchase agreement for the aircraft between AirAsia and Airbus here, said: 'This acquisition not only expands the flight network but supports Malaysia's aspiration to emerge as a leading aviation hub in the Asian region. 'I also witnessed the exchange of a memorandum of understanding between 3P Capital Adviser and Ardian, a leading private investment firm from France, in an effort to explore investment opportunities in the private market,' he said after carrying out one-on-one business meetings with several companies here. Anwar said this initiative had the potential to broaden Malaysians' access to alternative investments. In a meeting with Imerys, an industrial minerals processing company that has been operating in Malaysia for over 25 years, Anwar was informed of their commitment to expand operations and support the development of a high-value and environmentally friendly manufacturing sector in the country. 'I also met with Arkema, a global leader in specialty chemicals, which is currently assessing the potential for new investments in Malaysia. 'This could create more high-skilled jobs, accelerate technology transfer, and strengthen Malaysia's position as a key bioeconomy hub in the Asian region,' he added.
