DGCA slaps Rs 10 lakh fine on Air India over non-compliance with CAR regulations

The recently established airline under the Tata Group received a notice from the aviation authority for refusing boarding to passengers with valid tickets and subsequently neglecting to offer the required compensation.

The civil aviation oversight body stated in a press release that it conducted regular inspections of Air India's flights at major airports to verify their compliance with CAR regulations, and determined that Air India was not completely adhering to the CAR provisions.

"During these inspections, it was observed that Air India was not fully compliant with the provisions of the CAR. Consequently, a Show Cause Notice has been issued to Air India, prompting the airline to explain its non-compliance with the regulations and take corrective measures," the DGCA said.

This is the second instance within a span of 1.5 years where the airline has faced action for the same reason. In June 2022, the DGCA imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh on Air India for the same issue.

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"After that a series of checks were carried out by DGCA and during our surveillance at Bengaluru, Hyderabad and Delhi, there were specific instances, in the case of Air India - where the regulation (regarding compensation to passengers) is not being followed and therefore, a show cause notice was issued to the airline and also a personal hearing was afforded," the DGCA had said in a statement.

But on Tuesday the DGCA issued a statement which shows that the last year's directive has not yet been complied with.

"The DGCA considers it imperative to continuously strengthen the rights of passengers and ensure that airlines operate under harmonised conditions in line with best global practices. Accordingly, DGCA had issued (rules regarding 'Facilities to be provided to passengers by airlines due to denied boarding, cancellation of flights and delays in flights' in 2010 (revised from time-to-time) to ensure appropriate protection for air travellers in case of flight disruptions and, in particular, denied boardings, flight cancellations and delays," it said in a statement.

In the previous month, the DGCA took the action of suspending Rajeev Gupta, Air India's Chief of Flight Safety, for a duration of one month on the charges of major oversights identified by the regulator during an inspection of the airline's internal safety audits, accident prevention efforts, and the availability of necessary technical personnel in the month of July.