Govt pulls up Air India over rising safety issues
The first such meeting was held on Wednesday, in the midst of week in which an Air India aircraft caught fire at Delhi airport after landing from Hong Kong, a Kolkata-bound flight aborted takeoff due to technical issues, and a Kochi-Mumbai flight veered off the runway during landing in heavy rain.
According to one of these people, the 'first meeting was held this evening where the airline gave a detailed explanation of their efforts towards maintaining safety'.
The discussions, this person added, 'were held based on the incidents being reported by Air India and Air India Express. The ministry has ordered Air India to maintain highest level of safety standards. It will review the airline's operations after a month.'
A second official said additional meetings are expected to focus on reviewing recent incidents and discussing fleet maintenance protocols.
The direct government intervention comes amid heightened concerns over passenger safety following the June 12 crash of Air India Flight 171 that killed 260 people and a subsequent surge in technical incidents affecting the Tata-owned carrier.
'The outcome of these discussions will be crucial in restoring passenger confidence and ensuring that the airlines under the Air India group meet the highest safety benchmarks,' an official said.
The Boeing 787 crash marked one of aviation's deadliest tragedies in recent years and prompted comprehensive safety reviews. A preliminary report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AAIB) has identified fuel control switches set to cutoff during takeoff as the main cause of the crash. Why the switches were flipped, or by whom, is now at the heart of the probe.
Since that incident, at least 15 other operational issues and serious incidents have been reported involving Air India and its low-cost service arm Air India Express.
Both carriers have faced mounting scrutiny over their operational standards. The incidents range from aborted take-offs and emergency returns to runway excursions and auxiliary power unit fires, raising questions about maintenance practices at India's privatised flag carrier.
'The government is expected to emphasise preventive measures and enforce strict adherence to safety and maintenance standards,' another official said.
The meetings involve airline executives and senior officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and civil aviation ministry. The regulator may seek detailed reports on maintenance practices, officials said.
Following the AAIB's preliminary report that found fuel switches moved from 'run' to 'cutoff' position during the fatal flight's takeoff, the DGCA mandated Air India to inspect fuel control switch locking mechanisms on all Boeing 787 and 737 aircraft by July 22.
Air India completed the inspections within the deadline, reporting no issues with the locking mechanisms. 'Air India had started voluntary inspections on July 12 and completed them within the prescribed time limit set by the DGCA. The same has been communicated to the regulator,' the airline said Tuesday.
The safety concerns extend beyond Air India, with other carriers also reporting incidents. An IndiGo flight from Delhi to Goa experienced engine failure last week, though the airline termed it a technical snag.
'The real question is, how can they help mitigate these issues and what steps can they take? No airline management creates technical problems deliberately. Nevertheless, management must exercise greater vigilance,' said Jitender Bhargava, former Air India executive director.
Aviation safety expert Amit Singh said the DGCA bears ultimate responsibility. 'They have a state safety plan with performance targets. If they feel that the number of incidents are found beyond the target, they must step in and take corrective action.'
On Wednesday, an Air India Express flight from Kozhikode to Doha returned after being airborne for around one hour and 40 minutes due to an engine issue reported by the pilot. An airline spokesperson termed it a technical issue.
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