New Delhi, India: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued four show-cause notices to Air India citing violations of pilot rest norms, training requirements and cabin crew deployment, calling them systemic lapses that could compromise flight safety. These notices follow voluntary disclosures by Air India just days before a scheduled regulatory audit of its Delhi operations, covering incidents from 2023 and 2024.
Sources reviewed by Economic Times indicate pilots in multiple instances exceeded weekly duty hour limits, including flights operated on June 24, 2024, and June 15, 2025, without the mandated rest periods. The regulator also noted that pilots who had completed simulator training failed to commence active flying within the specified timeframe, rendering the training invalid. Additionally, at least 17 pilots operated into and out of Kathmandu without mandatory high-altitude airport simulation training, despite its complex terrain and special approach requirements.
Cabin crew shortages were also reported on four ultra-long-haul flights to North America in April and May, which were operated with as few as 12 cabin crew members, instead of the required 15. The DGCA has characterized these as serious procedural breaches and gave Air India two weeks to submit explanations and corrective plans. Failure to comply could lead to penalties, leadership accountability measures and further regulatory action.
The regulator’s notices add to a series of safety-related actions taken against Air India in 2025, including nine show-cause notices in the first half of the year alone. These issues have gained urgency following the June 12 crash of Air India Flight AI 171 near Ahmedabad, which killed 260 people and has become India’s deadliest aviation disaster in over a decade. The accident has intensified scrutiny of Air India’s governance, safety oversight and crew management practices.
In a statement, Air India confirmed receipt of the notices and stressed that all violations were voluntarily disclosed as part of its internal compliance checks. The airline said it remains committed to passenger and crew safety and is implementing measures to prevent recurrence.
The DGCA has warned that repeated violations despite earlier advisories point to systemic governance failures and could result in stricter enforcement, fines and even leadership restructuring if compliance gaps remain unaddressed.
