DGCA orders Air India to remove three crew-scheduling officials over safety violations

Regulator acts against lapses in crew management

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has directed Air India to remove three senior officials from their responsibilities in crew scheduling. This decision follows the detection of several serious breaches in aviation safety standards.

The officials affected by the directive are Choorah Singh, Divisional Vice President; Pinky Mittal, Chief Manager of Crew Scheduling Operations; and Payal Arora from the Planning division of Crew Scheduling.

Multiple violations triggered regulatory action

In an official communication dated June 20, the DGCA stated that the identified personnel were responsible for repeated non-compliance with crew scheduling rules. These included unauthorized crew assignments, breaches of crew rest requirements, and overall failures in regulatory oversight.

The investigation uncovered these issues during a system audit conducted after the transition from the ARMS platform to the CAE Flight and Crew Management System.

Mandatory disciplinary action and role reassignment

Air India has been instructed to immediately reassign the named officials to non-operational duties. The DGCA also mandated that internal disciplinary proceedings begin without delay. A report on the outcomes must be submitted within ten days of the directive.

“The outcome of the disciplinary process must be communicated to this office within ten days of this order,” the DGCA emphasized.

Until further notice, the officials are not permitted to hold any position that influences flight operations, crew management, or safety-related decision-making.

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