Air India watchdog finds 51 safety violations by airline during post-crash audit
An Air India watchdog has found 51 safety violations during an audit of the airline, months after a Boeing 787 crash killed 260 people.
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The audit by India's air regulator forms part of an annual probe into the country's airlines, with a host of carriers scrutinised.
Seven safety-related issues ranked at the highest level of severity were discovered, the report revealed, with auditors failing to provide further details on the violations.
Air India said the airline was "fully transparent" during the Directorate General of Civil Aviation's (DGCA) July audit.
India's aviation regulator highlighted a total of 263 safety issues across eight commercial airlines during the audit, with 44 Level 2 violations and seven Level 1 violations found at Air India.
The audit forms part of routine checks to improve systems put in place by carriers and is not linked to the recent crash, the airline highlighted.
Regular audits are standard practice for airlines around the world and aim to thoroughly assess and improve day-to-day processes, an airline spokesperson said.
"We acknowledge receipt of the findings and will submit our response to the regulator within the stipulated time frame, along with the details of the corrective actions taken," the spokesperson added.
Other airlines mentioned in the audit include Alliance Air, which had 57 violations, Ghodawat Star with 41, Quick Jet with 35, IndiGo with 23, and SpiceJet with 14 violations.
According to the UN's International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), Level 1 issues indicate non-compliance that "lowers safety or seriously endangers safety."
Such issues can often result in the suspension, restriction or revocation of the airline's approvals.
Level 2 findings are less shocking but still safety-related, with non-compliances "possibly" posing a "safety hazard".
Specific issues flagged in the report remain unclear, however, a recent report cited by Reuters highlights the airline's inadequate pilot training and use of unapproved simulators.
It also highlighted"recurrent training gaps" for some Boeing 787 and 777 pilots, Reuters said.