Delhi, India: India’s civil aviation regulator has penalised Air India with a $110,350 (about ₹1 crore) fine after an Airbus A320 aircraft operated eight commercial flights without a valid Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC), raising fresh concerns over airline safety compliance.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a confidential order on February 5 finding that the aircraft flew eight flights on November 24–25, 2025 including routes between New Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai and Hyderabad without the mandatory annual airworthiness permit that certifies an aircraft’s fitness to fly.
In its order addressed to Air India Chief Executive Officer Campbell Wilson, the DGCA said the lapse had “further eroded public confidence and adversely impacted the safety compliance of the organisation.” The regulator held the airline’s “accountable manager” responsible for the breach and directed that the fine be deposited within 30 days of the order.
The ARC is a critical regulatory clearance issued annually only after an aircraft undergoes detailed maintenance assessment, records verification and physical inspection to confirm conformity with prescribed safety standards. Operating without a valid certificate is considered a serious violation of civil aviation regulations.
Air India acknowledged receipt of the DGCA order and stated that the incident was voluntarily reported to the regulator in late 2025. In its statement, the airline said that “all identified gaps have since been satisfactorily addressed and shared with the authority.”
An internal investigation by the carrier attributed the occurrence to “systemic failures” within its compliance and oversight mechanisms. Reports indicate that pilots involved in the flights did not fully adhere to standard operating procedures before take-off, pointing to weaknesses in procedural enforcement.
The implicated Airbus A320, registered VT-TQN, was returned to service after maintenance work during which its ARC inadvertently expired. The lapse remained unrecognised until flagged by engineering personnel, after which the aircraft was grounded and the matter reported to the DGCA.
The fine comes amid heightened scrutiny of Air India’s safety culture, following a fatal Boeing 787 Dreamliner crash in June 2025 that claimed 260 lives. That accident triggered intensified surveillance by regulators and industry stakeholders.
