Business / DGCA fines AirAsia India Rs 20 lakh for lapses in pilot proficiency checks

DGCA Fine on Air Asia: Aviation regulator DGCA has imposed a fine of Rs 20 lakh on AirAsia India. This fine was imposed on this economical airline service of Tata Group on Saturday for violation of rules related to pilot training. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ordered the removal of the airline's training chief from the post for three months, it said in a statement. Along with this, a fine of three lakh rupees has also been imposed on eight nominated testers (DE). Last month, a news agency PTI reported that AirAsia India has allegedly violated the standards related to pilot proficiency test and equipment rating test, so DGCA can take action against it.

For the third time in a month, DGCA has taken action against any Tata group airline. AirAsia India said in a statement that it is reviewing the DGCA order and considering an appeal against it. An AirAsia India spokesperson said, 'We believe that the DGCA had found some deficiencies in pilot training during the inspection of our main base in November 2022.

Disciplinary action was taken immediately in coordination with DGCA and extra training sessions were also conducted for the pilots. Following the inspection on November 23-25 last year, the DGCA had sent show-cause notices to the airline, its chief trainer and all nominated examiners. DGCA had found in the inspection that some necessary procedures were not being done during the training, due to which the rules of DGCA were being violated. In the last few days, the regulator had also imposed penalty on Air India, Vistara, Indigo, GoAir.