Days after plane crash, DGCA orders removal of Air India officials over safety lapses

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday directed Air India to remove three senior officials from crew scheduling responsibilities following repeated violations of regulatory norms and serious lapses in operational oversight.

The officials named in the directive include Choorah Singh, Divisional Vice President; Pinky Mittal, Chief Manager – DOPS, Crew Scheduling; and Payal Arora, responsible for Crew Scheduling – Planning.

According to the DGCA order dated June 20, the three were found involved in unauthorised crew pairings, breaches of crew licensing norms, and violations of rest period regulations—all considered critical components in ensuring aviation safety.

The regulator has instructed immediate removal of the officials from any role related to crew operations and mandated their reassignment to non-operational positions. Additionally, Air India has been asked to initiate internal disciplinary proceedings and report the outcome to the DGCA within 10 days.

“Internal disciplinary proceedings must be initiated against these officials without delay, and the outcome shall be reported to this office within 10 days from the date of issue of this letter,” the DGCA order stated.

The officials will remain barred from assuming any position that holds direct influence over flight safety or crew compliance until corrective reforms in Air India's scheduling practices are fully implemented.

The violations came to light during a post-transition audit of Air India’s crew management systems—specifically during the switch from the ARMS platform to the CAE Flight and Crew Management System.