**Summary:**
In response to concerns raised in Lok Sabha Unstarred Question No. 827 on July 24, 2025, regarding compliance with safety regulations, the Ministry of Civil Aviation addressed allegations of negligence by Air India Express concerning the maintenance of Airbus A320 aircraft. A Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) surveillance inspection revealed non-compliance with a European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) Airworthiness Directive related to engine maintenance. Consequently, the DGCA initiated punitive action against responsible personnel at Air India Express, in accordance with the Enforcement Policy and Procedure Manual. This included cancellation of the Quality Manager's approval, a warning letter and a financial penalty of ₹1.5 Lacs for the Continuing Maintenance Manager, and a financial penalty of ₹30 Lacs for the Accountable Manager.
The Ministry affirmed that the DGCA maintains a structured surveillance and audit framework, encompassing planned and unplanned surveillance of organizations and aircraft, including regular audits, spot checks, night surveillance, and ramp inspections across all operators and maintenance organizations. The DGCA publishes an Annual Surveillance Plan on its website, detailing the regulatory audit schedule, which adheres to the regulatory audit procedure manual also available on the DGCA website. The Ministry emphasized that airlines are responsible for complying with Service Bulletins and Airworthiness Directives issued by the State of Design and State of Manufacturer to ensure aircraft safety and continuous airworthiness.
Key Entities Referenced
Ministry of Civil Aviation: The Indian government ministry responsible for the formulation and administration of policies, planning and development of civil aviation.
Lok Sabha: The lower house of the Parliament of India.
Air India Express: An Indian low-cost airline, a subsidiary of Air India, that was found to have compliance issues.
Airbus A320: A narrow-body airliner manufactured by Airbus, the specific aircraft model involved in the safety compliance issues.
DGCA: Directorate General of Civil Aviation, the Indian governmental regulatory body for civil aviation.
European Union Aviation Safety Agency: The agency of the European Union (EU) with responsibility for civil aviation safety.
EASA Airworthiness Directive: A mandatory instruction issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) regarding the airworthiness of an aircraft.
Murlidhar Mohol: Minister of State in the Ministry of Civil Aviation
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF CIVIL AVIATION
Lok Sabha
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. : 827
( TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 24th July 2025 )
COMPLIANCE WITH SAFETY REGULATIONS
827. SMT VIJAYLAKSHMI DEVI
SHRI SANATAN PANDEY
SHRI AZAD KIRTI JHA
Will the Minister of CIVIL AVIATION
be pleased to state:-
(a) whether the Government acknowledges the fact that Air India
Express failed to change engine parts of Airbus A320 aircraft on
time and a DGCA investigation reportedly revealed falsifying of
records and if so, the details thereof;
(b) whether the safety instructions were not followed despite
warnings from the European Union Aviation Safety Agency thereby
posing a serious threat to passenger safety and if so, the details
thereof;
(c) whether the Government has taken any punitive action against
Air India and its subsidiaries and if so, the details thereof; and
(d) the details of the stringent provisions made to prevent such
negligence in the future?
ANSWER
Minister of State in the Ministry of CIVIL AVIATION
(Shri Murlidhar Mohol)
(a) to (d): During a surveillance inspection of M/s Air India Express
by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), it was found
that M/s Air India Express had not complied with EASA
Airworthiness Directive on the engines installed on the Air bus A320
aircraft.;;
DGCA initiated punitive action against the responsible personnel i.e.
Continuing Maintenance Manager, Quality Manager and Accountable
Manager of M/s Air India Express Ltd as per Enforcement Policy and
Procedure Manual. The approval granted to Quality Manager was
cancelled, Continuing Maintenance Manager was given warning
letter along with 1.5 Lacs financial penalty. A financial penalty of 30
Lacs was imposed on Accountable manager;
;
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has a structured
surveillance and audit framework in place i.e. planned and
unplanned surveillance of Organisation /Aircrafts, which includes
regular and periodic audits, spot checks, night Surveillance and
ramp inspections across all operators, maintenance organizations.
DGCA publishes Annual Surveillance Plan every year on its website,
which contains the plan for the Regulatory Audit. Plan for the
regulatory audits is in accordance with the regulatory audit
procedure manual published on DGCA website. It is the
responsibility of the airline/operator to comply with the Service
Bulletins/Airworthiness Directives issued by the State of Design/
State of Manufacturer from time to time to keep the aircraft safe to
fly and in a continuous state of airworthiness.
******