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Air India Safety Lapses Spark EASA Alarm
16 Mar
Summary
- EASA detected numerous safety lapses during surprise aircraft inspections.
- Air India's safety finding ratio reached 1.96, prompting DGCA intervention.
- Ageing fleet and supply chain issues delay aircraft refurbishments.
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has flagged significant safety concerns regarding Air India following surprise inspections at European airports. These inspections revealed numerous safety lapses, leading to a finding ratio of 1.96 in January, which prompted the agency to alert India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
The DGCA swiftly intervened, imposing corrective measures on Air India to prevent potential disruptions to its operations in Europe. As a result of these heightened inspections and subsequent rectifications, the fault ratio decreased to 1.76 by the following week. Airlines with a strong safety record typically maintain a ratio below 1.
An official attributed some faults to the airline's aging aircraft fleet, noting that European standards are stringent, classifying even minor issues like a broken seat as violations. Air India's $400 million initiative to refurbish older planes, initiated after its acquisition by Tata, has faced considerable delays due to global supply chain constraints.
Under the Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft (SAFA) program, EASA inspectors scrutinize approximately 54 parameters on non-EU airline aircraft. Both EASA and the DGCA are conducting extensive checks, ensuring aircraft are only cleared for international operations after rectifying all identified issues and demonstrating satisfactory compliance.
