New Delhi’s civil aviation regulator has ordered Air India to remove three officials from their positions over what it called systemic failures.
The directive comes as the airline faces scrutiny following a deadly crash earlier this month in Ahmedabad.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) did not confirm if the action is directly linked to the June 12 crash. The crash killed 241 of the 242 people on board and at least 38 people on the ground.
Investigators are still working to determine the cause of the crash, which occurred moments after the London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner took off from Ahmedabad.
The DGCA said Air India’s own voluntary disclosures revealed problems in crew scheduling, compliance monitoring, and internal accountability. The order said there had been serious and repeated lapses and raised concern over the lack of strict disciplinary action against key officials involved.
The DGCA instructed the airline to remove three named officials from all responsibilities related to crew scheduling. The regulator also directed the airline to take disciplinary action and report on the steps taken within 10 days.
It added that any future violations could result in the suspension of the airline’s license.
Air India said Saturday that it had complied with the directive. In a statement, the airline said it is committed to following all safety protocols and standard practices.
The airline said on Thursday that the aircraft involved in the crash was well-maintained and that the pilots were experienced. Authorities have recovered the cockpit voice recorder and the flight data recorder from the crash site.
