Air India Faces Scrutiny: 51 Safety Lapses Uncovered in July 2025 Audit
On July 29, 2025, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India’s aviation watchdog, revealed 51 safety violations in a routine audit of Air India, casting doubt on the airline’s operational standards. The findings present a concerning picture for the carrier owned by the Tata Group, ranging from insufficient pilot training to unapproved simulators and problematic crew rostering. The timing—shortly after a fatal Boeing 787 crash in Ahmedabad—has brought the airline into the public eye, despite the DGCA’s insistence that such errors are “normal” for a fleet of Air India’s size. What effects do these infractions have on regulatory supervision, passenger safety, and Air India’s standing? Let’s examine this important report’s specifics and ramifications.
According to Reuters, the 11-page confidential DGCA audit found 44 non-compliances that needed to be fixed by August 23 and seven “Level I” breaches that needed to be fixed right away by July 30, 2025. The use of unqualified simulators for training at difficult Category C airports, pilots on Boeing 787 and 777 aircraft evading required cockpit observation duties, and a rostering system that overlooked crew shortages on international flights are some of the main problems. One notable infraction, referred to as a “Level I” non-compliance that jeopardizes safety during intricate landings, concerned an Air India flight from Milan to New Delhi that exceeded pilot duty limits by more than two hours.
Echoing earlier warnings given to Air India executives on July 23 for 29 “systemic” lapses, the audit also found irregular door and equipment checks, falsified maintenance records, and postponed engine part replacements.
The DGCA downplayed the findings despite their seriousness, pointing out that because of their operational scale, big carriers like Air India—which have 34 Boeing 787s and 23 Boeing 777s—naturally receive more audit observations. According to a DGCA statement, these results are consistent with ICAO standards, and major airlines around the world exhibit comparable trends. In response, Air India emphasized its openness throughout the audit and pledged to submit remedial measures within the allotted period.
But given the airline’s past—11 out of 23 safety-related warnings or fines in 2024, including a $127,000 fine for inadequate onboard oxygen—there are worries about reoccurring problems.
The timing of the audit increases its impact. The findings, which come weeks after an unrelated Boeing 787 crash in June 2025 that claimed 260 lives, increase public anxiety about Air India’s safety procedures. Posts on X, such as those from @Reuters and @thewire_in, show increased scrutiny, with some users challenging the DGCA’s “normal” classification in light of the crash’s circumstances. The report highlights the risks for passengers, especially when traveling to difficult airports. It emphasizes to regulators the necessity of more stringent enforcement in order to avert systemic failures. The question remains: Can Air India rebuild trust as it scrambles to rectify these mistakes, or will these transgressions haunt its legacy?
