Air India Admits Culture Lapses After Operating Airbus Without Permit

Airbus: Air India’s internal probe into an Airbus A320 that operated eight commercial flights without a valid airworthiness permit has revealed serious “systemic failures” in safety processes and compliance checks. The aircraft flew between Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Hyderabad on November 24–25 without a valid Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC), a mandatory yearly document issued only after safety inspections by India’s aviation regulator.

The review found that the lapse put hundreds of passengers at risk and exposed gaps in communication, oversight and internal monitoring.

Engineers, Pilots Failed To Flag Expired Certificate

According to the internal report, engineers cleared the plane for service and pilots operated scheduled flights without verifying crucial documents.

“Critical information was not shared with relevant stakeholders, and opportunities for timely intervention were missed,” the inquiry noted, calling for urgent improvement in compliance culture and process discipline.

The findings have been submitted to aviation authorities, though they haven’t been made public.

Past Compliance Concerns Return

The episode is a stark setback for the airline, which has previously faced regulatory warnings for operating flights with incomplete safety checks, delayed component replacement and documentation issues.

Air India called the incident “regrettable” and said several staff have been suspended. The DGCA has grounded the aircraft and launched its own review.

The airline, now owned by Tata Group along with Singapore Airlines, said it reported the oversight to DGCA and has put immediate safeguards in place.

Penalty And Pilot Advisory

The ARC lapse can attract penalties up to ₹1 crore under DGCA rules.

Investigators found both engines had been changed and the aircraft cleared for a test flight without the mandatory special permit because an engineer “failed to check onboard documents.”

Pilots who operated the eight flights also did not follow pre-flight compliance checks, the report said.

Following the inquiry, Air India’s flight operations director issued a reminder to all pilots to verify documents including ARC, navigation charts and cargo details before take-off, warning that violations could invite disciplinary action.

(Via Agency Inputs)

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