Aviation – Parliamentary Panel Raises Alarm Over Aircraft Safety Gaps
Aviation – India’s aviation sector is facing renewed scrutiny after a parliamentary panel identified significant safety concerns affecting commercial aircraft operations. The findings, based on a recent audit conducted by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), point to a troubling number of recurring technical faults and raise questions about the overall safety framework governing the industry.
High number of aircraft show repeated technical faults
According to the panel’s assessment, 754 commercial aircraft were examined between January 2025 and February 2026. Of these, 377 aircraft were found to have recurring defects, indicating persistent technical issues that were not fully resolved despite earlier detection.
A substantial share of these concerns was linked to two major carriers. Air India accounted for a large portion, with 137 out of 166 aircraft showing repeated defects. Similarly, Air India Express reported ongoing issues in 54 of the 101 aircraft inspected. These figures suggest a pattern of unresolved maintenance challenges within key segments of the fleet.
Audit reveals safety lapses following Ahmedabad incident
The committee also reviewed a detailed DGCA audit carried out in early July 2025, shortly after the Ahmedabad crash. The audit uncovered nearly 100 safety-related shortcomings within Air India’s operations. Among these were seven Level 1 violations, which are considered critical and demand immediate corrective measures.
The findings highlighted several operational gaps. These included shortcomings in recurrent pilot training for Boeing 787 and 777 aircraft, instances where international flights operated with fewer cabin crew than required, and breaches of flight duty time regulations. In one reported case, a flight from Milan to New Delhi exceeded the permitted duty hours by more than two hours.
Regulatory action and penalties imposed
In response to these violations, the DGCA issued multiple show cause notices to Air India. The airline received nine such notices specifically tied to safety concerns identified during inspections.
Across the broader aviation sector, regulators issued 19 safety violation notices by the end of 2025. These notices cited a range of issues, including lapses in quality assurance systems, unauthorised access to cockpits, and the use of aircraft with expired emergency equipment.
Further action followed in February 2026, when the DGCA imposed a penalty of approximately Rs 1 crore on Air India. The fine was linked to the operation of an Airbus A320 on eight flights in November 2025 without a valid Airworthiness Review Certificate.
Concerns over regulator capacity and oversight
Beyond airline-specific issues, the parliamentary panel raised concerns about the capacity of the aviation regulator itself. With a vacancy rate of 48.3 percent, questions have been raised about whether the DGCA has sufficient manpower and resources to effectively oversee a rapidly growing aviation market.
The panel emphasized that regulatory strength is essential to ensure compliance and maintain safety standards across airlines. It warned that existing gaps in oversight could undermine efforts to address systemic issues within the sector.
Call for structural reforms in aviation safety framework
In light of these findings, the committee has recommended urgent reforms aimed at strengthening the aviation safety architecture in India. The suggestions include enhancing regulatory capacity, improving monitoring mechanisms, and ensuring stricter enforcement of safety protocols across all operators.
The report underscores the need for a comprehensive approach to aviation safety, particularly as passenger traffic continues to rise and fleet sizes expand. Ensuring consistent maintenance standards, effective training, and robust regulatory oversight will be critical in addressing the concerns highlighted by the panel.