The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has levied a fine of Rs 80 lakhs on Air India Limited for breaching Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) and fatigue management system (FMS) regulations concerning its flight crew. This penalty follows an unsatisfactory response from the carrier to a previous show cause notice.


Spot Audit Reveals Violations


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The DGCA conducted a spot audit of Air India Limited in January to verify regulatory compliance regarding FDTL and FMS regulations. The audit revealed several violations, including instances where flight crew members above 60 years of age were found flying together, contravening Sub Rule (2) of Rule 28 A of the Aircraft Rules, 1937. The operator also fell short in providing adequate weekly rest, pre and post-ultra-long-range (ULR) flight rest, and layover rest to the flight crew, all of which are violations of Civil Aviation Requirements related to FDTL.


 Additional Observations


Aside from these major violations, the audit also identified instances of exceeding duty periods, inaccurately recorded training records, and overlapping duties, among other discrepancies.


Previous Incidents and Fines


This is not the first time Air India has faced fines from the DGCA. Earlier, the airline was fined Rs 30 lakhs after an elderly passenger passed away during the immigration process due to the lack of wheelchair assistance. The DGCA noted that Air India failed to comply with Civil Aviation Requirements regarding passenger assistance.


 Accumulated Penalties


The recent Rs 80 lakh fine adds to a series of penalties imposed on Air India by the DGCA in the past year, totaling around Rs 4 crore. These fines cover various violations, including safety concerns on long-range terrain critical routes, for which Air India was fined Rs 1.10 crore.