Air India Faces Five Safety Violations in Six Months: DGCA Report

Quick Summary

• The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has served nine show-cause notices to Air India over five safety violations in the past six months.
• Minister of State for Civil Aviation, Murlidhar Mohol, shared this details in Rajya Sabha on July 21, 2025. One violation has already undergone enforcement action.
• Overall DGCA actions against airlines indicate a declining trend:

– Total warnings dropped from 203 in 2024 to 65 in the first seven months of 2025.
– Suspension orders decreased from 329 to 61 during the same period.

• Fines imposed by DGCA have also reduced considerably-from ₹7.41 crore in 2024 to ₹82.35 lakh so far this year.
• Suspension orders focus on pilots and airline officials directly accountable for adherence to safety standards.

image Source: File image and icons sourced from “The Hindu”.

Indian Opinion Analysis

The decline in regulatory actions against airlines-shown by reduced warnings, suspensions, and fines-might signal improvements within India’s aviation sector or adjustments in enforcement standards by DGCA. For Air India specifically, receiving multiple show-cause notices highlights ongoing challenges concerning compliance with aviation regulations despite being a flagship carrier.

Such scrutiny from DGCA underscores its critical role as a watchdog ensuring passenger safety and operational integrity among Indian airlines. However,sustained openness regarding enforcement mechanisms is essential for public trust,especially amid recent concerns about airline accountability post-pandemic recovery years.

Read more at the Hindu.