The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has fined Air India ₹80 lakh for breaching regulations on flight duty time limits and the fatigue management system for flight crew. In a statement released on Friday, the aviation regulator announced that it has fined Air India for violating regulations related to Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) and the fatigue management system (FMS) for flight crew.
The DGCA stated that it gathered evidence during the audit and also analyzed random reports fleet-wise. The DGCA is dedicated to upholding the highest safety standards in India’s civil aviation sector, and this enforcement action aligns with its commitment to safety.
The aviation watchdog noted that Air India was also lacking in providing sufficient weekly rest, appropriate rest before and after ultra-long-range (ULR) flights, and adequate rest during layovers for flight crew, thereby breaching the current provisions of the Civil Aviation Requirements related to FDTL.
The regulator indicated that during the audit, it also discovered instances of exceeding duty periods, inaccurately recorded training records, and overlapping duties.
After finding the airline’s response to the regulator unsatisfactory, Air India was fined.
