Air India Flags Compliance Failure Over Flight Operated Without Mandatory Permit

An internal Air India investigation into how one of its Airbus aircraft operated eight commercial flights without a valid airworthiness permit has uncovered “systemic failures,” according to an internal company report.

The carrier's acknowledgement was reported by news agency Reuters which review the document. The report also pointed to significant lapses in compliance and said that the carrier must strengthen its oversight processes.

The Airbus A320 in question flew passengers on routes between New Delhi, Bengaluru, Mumbai, and Hyderabad on November 24-25 without a current Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC), which is an annual regulatory document issued only after a flight passes all safety and compliance checks.

Point to note: An ARC lapse can lead to fines of up to $111,201. The certificate is issued annually after Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) officials conduct a thorough physical inspection of each aircraft, covering everything from medical kits to tyre conditions.

The A320 aircraft, registered as VT-TQN, completed eight commercial flights and one test flight with an expired ARC due to “multiple latent organisational and process deficiencies.”

The company noted that both engines had been replaced and the aircraft cleared for a test flight on November 24 without the mandatory special permit because a maintenance engineer did not review the onboard documents. Subsequent checks on the passenger flights were also missed.

According to the report, Air India determined that both engineers and pilots failed to verify the aircraft’s documentation, and that substantial changes were needed to reinforce compliance protocols.

“Critical information was not shared with all relevant stakeholders, and opportunities for timely intervention were missed,” the internal investigation report said.

It added that the incident underscored the urgent need to improve process discipline, communication, and the airline’s overall compliance culture.

The findings, including a cover letter signed by COO Captain Basil Kwauk, have been submitted to India’s aviation regulator, DGCA, but have not been released publicly.

This comes as Air India grapples with scrutiny following a series of safety lapses. Earlier this year, the airline suffered its worst disaster when an aircraft crashed in Gujarat, shortly after take-off, killing 260 people.

Regulators have previously warned Air India for operating aircraft without fully functional emergency equipment, failing to replace engine parts on time, and falsifying compliance records.

Air India has called the November incident involving the Airbus “regrettable” and said several employees have been suspended. Meanwhile, DGCA ordered the aircraft to be grounded and launched its own investigation, the report claimed.

The Tata Group owned carrier said it had proactively reported the violation to the DGCA, implemented immediate corrective actions, and would continue strengthening its compliance framework.

This report also comes amid the backdrop of a turbulent period in India’s aviation industry, as IndiGo recently cancelled thousands of flights, causing widespread disruptions for domestic air travel.