The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) held a high-level meeting with senior officials from Air India and Air India Express to review the airlines’ safety practices, operational readiness, and passenger service standards. The move follows recent incidents that have highlighted the need for enhanced coordination and infrastructure across India’s aviation sector.
Operating over 1,000 flights daily, both carriers have faced increased scrutiny amid maintenance issues, flight cancellations, and airspace-related delays. The DGCA emphasized seven core focus areas in the meeting, including regulatory compliance, fleet reliability, defect reporting, spare part availability, and timely passenger communication.
A major point of discussion was the impact of ongoing airspace restrictions over Iran, which have disrupted flight routes between India and key destinations in Europe and North America. Airlines were advised to explore alternate routing through Central Asia or the Mediterranean and to ensure proactive communication with passengers and crew.
The meeting also reviewed the status of Air India’s Boeing 787 fleet. Out of 33 aircraft, 24 have passed recent safety inspections. Two more were expected to clear checks by the end of the day, with another scheduled for completion tomorrow. Four aircraft are currently undergoing major maintenance, and two remain grounded in Delhi awaiting clearance. These inspections were intensified following a fatal crash in Ahmedabad earlier this month.
DGCA officials urged airlines to improve coordination across engineering, ground handling, and operations departments to minimize disruptions and delays. The regulator also stressed the need for a robust real-time defect reporting mechanism to improve operational decisions and compliance with Civil Aviation Requirements.
This meeting underscores the DGCA’s commitment to reinforcing aviation safety, boosting public confidence, and ensuring reliable service amid the evolving demands of domestic and international air travel.
