India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has issued a warning to Air India after discovering that three of its Airbus planes flew with overdue checks on critical emergency equipment—specifically, escape slides. This breach of safety protocols was flagged during spot checks in May, prior to last week’s deadly Boeing 787-8 crash involving the airline.
The DGCA’s investigation revealed that the aircraft, which included an Airbus A320 and an Airbus A319, operated despite missing mandatory inspections on escape slides. In one case, the A320’s inspection was delayed by over a month, during which the aircraft flew internationally to destinations like Dubai and Riyadh. In another case, checks on the A319 were over three months overdue, and a third plane was two days late for its inspection.
The DGCA’s report criticized Air India for its failure to submit timely responses to the deficiencies, calling it evidence of weak procedural control and oversight. The airline’s failure to adhere to airworthiness standards was deemed a violation of safety requirements.
Air India, which was taken over by the Tata Group in 2022, responded by stating it is accelerating the verification process for all maintenance records and escape slide checks. The airline explained that one issue was identified when an engineer accidentally deployed an escape slide during maintenance.
While the DGCA report emphasized that escape slides are vital for passenger safety in the event of an emergency, Air India’s delayed maintenance of this equipment has raised serious concerns. The report stated that certificates of airworthiness for aircraft with overdue checks are “deemed suspended.”
The DGCA’s warning and investigation report, sent to Air India CEO Campbell Wilson and senior managers, come amid broader concerns about the airline’s safety record. Air India has been fined multiple times for violations, including one of the largest fines of $127,000 for insufficient oxygen during a flight to San Francisco.
The recent crash, which killed 241 people, has further damaged Air India’s reputation. The airline is under increasing pressure to improve safety standards, and Chairman N. Chandrasekaran urged staff to use the incident as a catalyst to build a safer airline.
