New Delhi Feb 13 : India’s aviation regulator, DGCA, imposed a ₹1 crore penalty on Air India for operating an Airbus A320 (VT-TQN) on eight revenue flights without a valid Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC)—a critical annual safety validation—exposing serious compliance lapses post-Vistara merger.
The aircraft flew Delhi-Bengaluru-Mumbai-Hyderabad routes on Nov 24-25, 2025, despite ARC expiry after engine change grounding. Air India self-reported Nov 26; DGCA probe found “systemic failures,” ordering engineering post-holders’ removal and internal corrective measures.
Joint DGCA Director Maneesh Kumar’s order to CEO Campbell Wilson warned the lapse “further eroded public confidence and safety compliance.” ARC verifies maintenance records, physical checks, and airworthiness standards under delegated authority.
Air India faces payment within 30 days; comments awaited as merger scrutiny intensifies amid recent safety concerns.
