The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has imposed a fine of Rs 1.10 crore on Air India for safety violations related to the operations of its leased Boeing 777 planes to the US. The penalty comes after a former Air India pilot lodged a complaint alleging that the airline operated these planes without the required emergency oxygen supply system. DGCA conducted a thorough investigation and issued a show-cause notice to the airline. As the leased aircraft's operations were found to be non-compliant with regulatory and Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) performance limits, DGCA initiated enforcement action and levied the penalty. This marks the second penalty on Air India by DGCA within a week.

An Air India spokesperson expressed disagreement with DGCA's order, emphasizing that safety was not compromised. The airline had examined the raised issues with external experts, concluding that safety standards were maintained. Air India plans to review the order in detail, considering the right to appeal and discussions with the regulator.

The specific safety violations were not detailed in the DGCA release. The investigation stemmed from a safety report submitted by an airline employee, raising concerns about safety violations on certain long-range routes. The pilot's October 2023 complaint highlighted the absence of the required emergency oxygen supply system on leased B777 aircraft, which had a chemically-generated oxygen system lasting around 12 minutes. The complaint suggested that these aircraft were not suitable for direct flights to and from San Francisco due to potential challenges in descending to a safe altitude within the oxygen supply timeframe during high-mountainous terrain crossings.

The multi-dimensional nature of the matter had been previously examined by Air India and external experts, emphasizing the airline's commitment to passenger and crew safety without compromise. In a separate incident on January 17, DGCA fined Air India Rs 30 lakh for pilot rostering lapses during flights in low visibility conditions.

The specific safety violations were not detailed in the DGCA release. The investigation stemmed from a safety report submitted by an airline employee, raising concerns about safety violations on certain long-range routes. The pilot's October 2023 complaint highlighted the absence of the required emergency oxygen supply system on leased B777 aircraft, which had a thermochemically generated system lasting around 12 minutes. The complaint suggested that these aircraft were not suitable for direct flights to and from San Francisco due to potential challenges in descending to a safe altitude within the oxygen supply timeframe during high-mountainous terrain crossings.

The multi-dimensional nature of the matter had been previously examined by Air India and external experts, emphasizing the airline's commitment to passenger and crew safety without compromise. In a separate incident on January 17, DGCA fined Air India Rs 30 lakh for pilot rostering lapses during flights in low visibility conditions.