Air India Under Probe for Flying An A320 Without Airworthiness Licence

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has reportedly launched an investigation into Tata Group–owned Air India for operating an Airbus A320 last month with an expired airworthiness licence. The aircraft flew eight times between November 24 and 25 before a company engineer discovered that its Certificate of Airworthiness had lapsed.

The lapse was reported by the Economic Times (ET), citing officials from the aviation regulator and other sources. Air India has acknowledged the issue and said it immediately informed the DGCA.

“As soon as this came to our notice, it was duly reported to DGCA. We have initiated a comprehensive internal investigation,” a company spokesperson told the publication. The airline has suspended all personnel involved in the decision to release the aircraft.

The Certificate of Airworthiness is issued by the DGCA to confirm that an aircraft meets its approved design and is safe to fly. Under Rule 15 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, an aircraft may operate only if it has a valid certificate of airworthiness or special airworthiness certificate, is maintained in accordance with regulations, complies with all conditions attached to its certificate, and carries the required documents onboard.

According to the report, certification must be renewed annually after verifying that all required maintenance has been completed. Operating an aircraft without a valid certificate is a serious violation that may attract heavy penalties for the airline.

Experts noted that modern systems make renewal lapses difficult to miss, especially as Air India’s own airworthiness unit, CAMO, is responsible for tracking them. Airlines typically begin the renewal process around three months in advance.

A DGCA inspector told ET that engineers are expected to verify documentation during nightly halts, making it alarming that the aircraft completed eight flights without a valid licence. The incident is likely to be classified as a Level 1 violation, the most serious category for safety breaches.

A Shaky Transformation

The lapse comes five months after the crash of Air India’s Dreamliner on June 12, which killed 260 people and triggered extensive investigations by Indian authorities. The incident also highlighted persistent challenges in the airline’s transformation programme undertaken by the Tata Group after privatisation in 2022.

The airline’s senior leadership, including chief executive Campbell Wilson, had earlier been issued show-cause notices for operating aircraft with components that had exceeded their approved service life. A few months ago, the regulator also suspended the head of Air India’s engineering quality department, responsible for conducting audits to ensure compliance with safety and maintenance norms.