Latest news with #crewScheduling
Skift
8 hours ago
- Business
- Skift
Indian Regulator Cites Air India for Past Safety Lapses, Removes 3 Officials
While the June 12 crash is a separate issue, wider scrutiny of safety practices may bring more such checks in the coming months. Skift's coverage of the Air India crash is offered free to all readers. India's aviation regulator on Saturday ordered Air India to remove three senior employees from crew scheduling duties, citing previous violations of pilot rest and licensing rules. The action is not directly related to the June 12 crash of AI 171 crash in Ahmedabad, which brought additional scrutiny to Air India's operations. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said multiple violations were discovered after Air India switched its internal crew scheduling software last year. 'Repeated and serious violations (were) voluntarily disclosed by M/s Air India concerning flight crew being scheduled and operated despite lapses in licensing, rest, and recency requirements,' the DGCA said. In aviation, "recency" refers to the requirement for pilots to have recently performed takeoffs and landings or simulator sessions to maintain valid licenses. The regulator said the findings point to systemic failures in crew scheduling and internal oversight. Who Was Held Responsible? The DGCA ordered Air India to remove three officials from operational roles and launch disciplinary action against them within 10 days. One was Vice President of the Integrated Operations Control Centre (IOCC), the central hub of an airline's day-to-day operations that brings together key departments like crew scheduling, maintenance, and network planning to ensure flights run safely and in line with regulations. In a short statement, Air India said it has followed the regulator's order. 'We acknowledge the regulator's directive and have implemented the order. In the interim, the company's Chief Operations Officer will provide direct oversight to the IOCC,' an Air India spokesperson said. No further details were shared by the airline. The DGCA order also warned that, 'Any future violation... will attract strict enforcement action, including but not limited to penalties, license suspension, or withdrawal of operator permissions.' A Show-Cause Notice In a separate but related matter, the DGCA also issued a show-cause notice to the airline. This was for Flight AI133 from Bengaluru to London on May 16 and 17. DGCA said both flights had exceeded the 10-hour limit set for crew flight time, a clear violation of existing safety rules. The DGCA said the airline must explain why action should not be taken for these violations. If Air India fails to reply within seven days, the DGCA could act on the matter without further input. In an update on Saturday, Air India said it has started releasing interim financial support to families affected by the June 12 crash of its Boeing 787-8 aircraft in Ahmedabad. The airline had announced an interim payment of INR 2.5 million (around $29,000) each to the families of the deceased and to the sole survivor, to help address immediate financial needs. This amount is separate from the INR 10 million (approximately $116,000) support already announced by Tata Sons. The airline said a centralized help desk, set up on June 15, is managing the compensation process. This single-window system is helping families by speeding up paperwork and guiding them through the claim process. 'The interim compensation began being released from 20 June 2025,' Air India said. 'Three families have received payments so far, and the remaining claims are currently being processed.' The help desk is also working with local authorities and insurance representatives to avoid delays and reduce the burden on families during this period.
The Sun
9 hours ago
- Business
- The Sun
Air India slammed for ‘repeated violations' and three officials sacked over ‘systemic failures' in wake of horror crash
AIR India has been slammed for "repeated violations" with three officials sacked over "systemic failures" following the tragic crash. Cracks within the airline have started to show after flight AI171 smashed into a doctors' hostel and exploded into a huge fireball last week. 7 7 All passengers and crew - except for one miracle survivor - died in the horror accident on June 12 which killed at least 270 people. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) urged Air India to remove three company executives from crew scheduling roles, it has been revealed. The three officials include a divisional vice president, a chief manager of crew scheduling and one planning executive. Their sacking relates to lapses linked to flights from Bengaluru to London on May 16 and May 17 that exceeded the stipulated pilot flight time limit of 10 hours. The order on Friday cited "systemic failures in scheduling protocol and oversights" and criticised the lack of strict disciplinary measures against the officials. Despite the latest action by the aviation authority against Air India being unrelated to this month's tragic crash, it has laid bare the significant issues with the airline. On Thursday, it was also brought to light that authorities previously warned the airline for breaching safety rules after three of its Airbus planes flew despite being overdue for checks on emergency equipment of escape slides. The latest order by assistant director of operations at the DGCA, Himanshu Srivastava, said: "Of particular concern is the absence of strict disciplinary measures against key officials directly responsible." Air India said it has implemented the DGCA order and in the interim, the company's chief operations officer will provide direct oversight to the Integrated Operations Control Centre. The airline added: "Air India is committed to ensuring that there is total adherence to safety protocols and standard practices." Shock moment passenger threatens to CRASH Air India plane mid-flight in furious row just days after Ahmedabad disaster The DGCA stated in its order that Air India had voluntarily disclosed the violations. Investigators are continuing their probe into what caused the airline's London-bound plane to plunge to the ground moments after takeoff in Ahmedabad. Air India said on Thursday that the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plane was "well-maintained" and that the pilots were accomplished flyers. The airline's chief N Chandrasekaran also hit back at 'speculation' on what caused the London-bound flight to crash a minute after take-off. And it was revealed that the black box recovered from the flight could be sent to the US for analysis after being rescued from a blazing 1,000 degree inferno. The Indian government has the final say on who probes the device, but reports say the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) in Washington, D.C. is being considered for the analysis. A team of Indian investigators is expected to accompany the device to ensure all protocols are followed during the advanced data extraction. Investigators warned on Tuesday that the recovered black boxes may have melted due to the intense heat of the raging explosion. 7 7 7 7 Planes usually carry two black boxes, which are small but tough electronic flight data recorders. One records flight data, such as altitude and speed, whilst the other monitors the cockpit sound. The Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data Recorder (FDR), were recovered 28 hours after the horror crash. Despite the name, these devices are painted bright orange for visibility amid debris. Investigators believe the CVR on this 2014-delivered aircraft likely stored only two hours of cockpit audio. The jet predates a 2021 rule which enforced 25-hour recordings on all planes. But the FDR is capable of logging thousands of flight parameters for over 25 hours, including altitude, airspeed, and control inputs. The aircraft had climbed less than 600 feet before its ascent stalled, according to the Ministry of Civil Aviation. A distress signal was sent but was met with complete radio silence. Moments later, the plane crashed into the BJ Medical College hostel complex near the airport's northeastern boundary. The damaged black box is now seen as a crucial piece of evidence in understanding what led to India's worst air disaster in nearly three decades. Investigators hope the data from the box will shed light on the aircraft's final moments. 52 Brits died on board the flight, but London local Vishwash Kumar Ramesh managed to cheat death when he escaped the blazing inferno following the crash. Theories have swirled over how the sole survivor managed to narrowly escape death when he was sat in seat 11A during the horror smash. Leading theories on Air India Flight AI171 THESE are some of the leading theories explaining the tragic Air India disaster which killed at least 270 people. Emergency power system: A small turbine generator was seen deploying as the Boeing 787 went down, experts said. Footage showed a "protrusion on the belly of the aircraft" with a "little grey dot" beneath it. Commentators say this was a system called Ram Air Turbine (RAT) poking out from the fuselage of the plane. Bird Strikes: A bird strike could have taken out both of the jet's giant General Electric engines. While a bird taking down something the size of a commercial airliner might sound fanciful, there are numerous examples. Wing flap position: Aviation experts have suggested the position of the aircraft's wing flaps could have played a role in the disaster. Video evidence suggests the flaps were either fully retracted or on a very minimal setting, which would have provided very little lift. The flaps provide crucial extra lift at low speeds during take-offs and landings. Pilot error: The state-of-the-art Boeing 787-8 is highly automated, with human pilots making only key decisions - but human error cannot be ruled out. Co-pilot Clive Kundar had more than 3,400 hours of flying experience and made the mayday call but Captain Sumeet Sabharwa at the helm had 11,500 hours - making him one of Air India's most experienced pilots. Heat: Planes get less lift on a hot day due to lower air density, and therefore they need to go faster to get as much lift as on a cooler day. This is particularly important when an airliner is heavy with fuel, passengers and baggage, as the Air India flight was. Technical error: Catastrophic technical or engineering issues have not been ruled out. The jet's complex design mean it could take months for a design or engineering fault to be pinpointed.
Sky News
10 hours ago
- Sky News
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.
Japan Times
10 hours ago
- Japan Times
Aviation regulator orders Air India to remove officials
New Delhi's civil aviation regulator has ordered Air India to remove three officials from their roles over "systemic failures" as the carrier comes under scrutiny after a deadly crash. The instruction from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) did not detail whether it was linked to the June 12 crash in Ahmedabad, which killed all but one of the 242 people on board. At least 38 others on the ground were killed. The DGCA directive noted that the airline's voluntary disclosures "point to systemic failures in crew scheduling, compliance monitoring, and internal accountability." "Of particular concern is the absence of strict disciplinary measures against key officials directly responsible for these operational lapses," said the order, which was issued on Friday. "These officials have been involved in serious and repeated lapses," it said. The regulator has directed Air India to remove three officials named in the order "from all roles and responsibilities related to crew scheduling," take disciplinary action, and report on steps taken within 10 days. Future violations could also result in "license suspension." The airline said on Saturday it had implemented the order. "Air India is committed to ensuring that there is total adherence to safety protocols and standard practices," it said in a statement. Investigators are attempting to find out what caused the airline's London-bound plane to hurtle to the ground moments after takeoff in Ahmedabad. Air India said on Thursday that the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plane was "well-maintained" and that the pilots were accomplished flyers. The cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder have been recovered from the crash site.
The Independent
10 hours ago
- Business
- The Independent
Air India warned over ‘serious violations' of pilot oversight
India 's aviation safety watchdog has criticised Air India for 'repeated and serious violations' of pilot duty time regulations and has ordered the removal of three senior officials involved in crew scheduling. In an order given on 20 June, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) told the Tata Group-owned airline to immediately strip a divisional vice president, a chief manager of crew scheduling, and a planning executive of all responsibilities related to rostering. It also instructed the airline to begin disciplinary proceedings against them without delay. The order raised concerns over 'repeated and serious violations voluntarily disclosed by Air India concerning flight crew being scheduled and operated despite lapses in licensing, rest, and recency requirements'. 'Of particular concern is the absence of strict disciplinary measures against key officials directly responsible,' it said. These breaches came to light during a post-transition review of the airline's switch between two different software systems for managing its crew scheduling, according to the Press Trust of India. Two specific instances of non-compliance, on flights from Bengaluru to London on 16 May and 17, exceeded the 10-hour maximum flight duty limit for pilots, Reuters reported. The airline has been instructed to move the three officials to non-operational roles until corrective reforms in scheduling practices are completed, and to ensure that they do not hold any position with direct influence over flight safety or crew compliance until further notice. Air India confirmed in a statement that it had implemented the regulator's order. 'In the interim, the company's Chief Operations Officer will provide direct oversight to the Integrated Operations Control Centre (IOCC). Air India is committed to ensuring that there is total adherence to safety protocols and standard practices,' the airline said. Earlier this week, Reuters reported that regulators had warned Air India for flying three Airbus aircraft without conducting timely checks on emergency escape slide equipment. The airline is facing heightened scrutiny following the 12 June crash of a London-bound flight shortly after take-off in Ahmedabad, killing 241 people onboard and 29 on the ground. Experts from India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau are investigating the crash with assistance from US and UK authorities, as well as officials from Boeing. Over the last week, dozens of Air India flights were delayed, diverted, or cancelled amid heightened safety checks ordered by the DGCA. As part of efforts to stabilise operations in the wake of the Ahmedabad crash, Air India on Thursday announced a temporary reduction in its international flight schedule. Between 21 June and 15 July, the airline will suspend flights to three overseas destinations and cut services on 16 international routes. The move, according to the airline, is aimed at restoring schedule reliability and minimising last-minute disruption for passengers. This follows an earlier statement that wide-body flight operations would be reduced by 15 per cent over the same period. Air India was taken over by Tata Sons in 2022, returning the airline to private hands nearly 70 years after it was nationalised. The $2.4bn deal to offload the debt-laden public carrier represented a full-circle moment for the airline, which began as Tata Air Services in 1932. Since the acquisition, the airline has placed orders for hundreds of new aircraft worth over $70bn, unveiled new livery, absorbed Tata's other airline ventures and committed millions to upgrading older planes and digital systems.
