Air India's internal safety audits flagged for lapses in DGCA inspection

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PTI, the aviation regulator is currently investigating this matter. In response, an Air India representative mentioned that all airlines undergo routine safety audits conducted by regulators and other organizations.

"Air India actively engages in such audits to continually assess and strengthen our processes," the spokesperson said in a statement and added that the airline directly addresses any matters raised with the authority concerned. As per the inspection findings submitted to the DGCA, Air India was obligated to conduct routine safety spot checks across different operational areas including cabin surveillance, cargo handling, ramp operations, and load management.

However, during an unannounced examination of 13 safety checkpoints, the inspection team discovered that the airline had fabricated reports for all 13 instances. Also Read: Boeing says deliveries of some 737 MAX planes to be delayed; Air India and Akasa Air may be impacted "Moreover, when cross-verified with CCTV, recordings, auditee statements, shift register documents, GD (General Declaration) list, passenger manifest etc, it is understood that all the aforesaid 13 spot checks shown to be carried out in stations Mumbai, Goa and Delhi were verified and were established to have not been actually performed," the two-member team said in the 'Deficiency Reporting Form' (DRF).

PTI further reported that the inspection found that these reports "were subsequently prepared/falsified when demanded by the DGCA team". Additionally, the inspection report highlighted that these falsified spot check reports lacked the signature of the Chief of Flight Safety (CFS), the authorized personnel for such endorsements.