Mumbai : The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has imposed a penalty of Rs 1.10 crore on Air India for compromising with safety precautions in regard to its operations of its leased Boeing 777 Aircraft to USA even as the Airline said that it would challenge the regulator’s decision in an appeal.
This is the second time in a week that the regulator has penalized Air India.
DGCA had received a complaint from a former AI pilot alleging that the Air India operated planes to US without having the required system of emergency oxygen supply. Accordingly, the regulator carried an investigation and issued a show cause notice to the airline.
Since the operations of the leased aircraft were not in line with the regulatory/OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer) performance limits, DGCA imposed a penalty Rs 1.10 Crore, DGCA said in a release.
However, an airline spokesperson said, “We disagree with the order issued by DGCA. The issues were examined by Air India thoroughly and it was found that there was no compromise on safety. We are studying the DGCA order and will keep our options open including our right to appeal.”
On October 29, 2023, the pilot, who had served as a B777 Commander, complained about the Airline’s practice of not carrying the required system of emergency oxygen supply.
