Air India warned by aviation regulator over 'systemic' lapses in fatigue management and training

India’s aviation regulator has warned Air India it could face enforcement action for breaching safety standards related to crew fatigue management and training, according to government notices seen by Reuters.

The airline self-reported the problems, which occurred this year and last year, to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) last month, just days after one of its Boeing 787 Dreamliners crashed in Ahmedabad the 12 June, killing 260 people.

Four notices, dated 23 July, criticised the airline for repeated safety compliance failures despite previous warnings. 

Potential regulatory action could include fines or the removal of senior executives.

The notices cite 29 violations, including pilots not receiving mandatory rest, poor compliance with simulator training requirements, lack of training for operations at a high-altitude airport, and flying on international routes with insufficient cabin crew.

"Despite repeated warning and enforcement action of non-compliance in the past, systemic issues related to compliance monitoring, crew planning, and training governance remain unresolved," one of the notices said.

"The recurrence of such violations suggests a failure to establish and enforce effective control mechanisms," it added.

Air India said in a statement that the notices were based on voluntary disclosures made over the past year and that it would respond to the regulator.

"We remain committed to the safety of our crew and passengers," it said.

The DGCA did not respond to a Reuters request for comment.

Air India has been under intense scrutiny since the Ahmedabad crash, which was the world’s worst aviation disaster in a decade.

A preliminary report found the fuel control switches were flipped almost simultaneously after takeoff, causing pilot confusion in the cockpit. 

One pilot asked the other why he cut off the fuel, and received a reply that he hadn’t done so, the report said.

The government told parliament this week that Air India received nine warning notices in the past six months.

Last year, authorities warned or fined airlines in 23 instances for safety violations. Eleven instances involved the Air India group according to reports.

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