New Delhi: India’s civil aviation regulator issued a stern warning to budget carrier Air India Express earlier this year for failing to replace engine components on an Airbus A320 aircraft within the deadline mandated by European safety authorities. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) further alleged that the airline falsified maintenance records in an apparent attempt to mislead authorities about compliance.
According to a confidential government memo reviewed by media sources, the lapse was discovered in March 2025, several months before the fatal June crash of an Air India Dreamliner in Ahmedabad that claimed 241 lives. Though unrelated, the Airbus incident adds to growing scrutiny surrounding Air India and its subsidiaries following the worst aviation tragedy in over a decade.
The issue stems from a 2023 airworthiness directive issued by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which warned of potential manufacturing defects in certain parts of the LEAP-1A engine manufactured by CFM International. The directive urged immediate replacement of engine seals and rotating components to avoid catastrophic engine failure. EASA specifically warned that uncorrected issues could lead to high-energy debris release and loss of aircraft control.
The DGCA's internal memo revealed that Air India Express did not perform the required modifications on the engine of aircraft VT-ATD, which serves both domestic and short-haul international routes such as Dubai and Muscat. The aviation authority accused the airline of manipulating its AMOS (Aircraft Maintenance and Engineering Operating System) records to falsely reflect timely compliance. “This indicates a failure in quality control at the highest levels,” the memo concluded.
In response, Air India Express acknowledged the lapse, attributing the delay to a transition in digital maintenance record systems. The airline claimed it took “corrective and preventive actions,” including the dismissal of the quality control manager and suspension of the deputy airworthiness chief. However, the airline did not address the allegation of document forgery directly, nor did it disclose when the issue was ultimately resolved.
The DGCA and EASA have remained silent on the matter, as have Airbus and CFM International. The safety breach was initially detected during an audit conducted by the DGCA in October 2024, with only a limited number of flights occurring before the engine issue was addressed.
Aviation safety experts have described the lapse as a major concern. “Even a few flights with non-compliant engine components present significant risk, especially over international airspace or near conflict zones,” warned Vibhuti Singh, former legal advisor to the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau.
This is not the first time Air India Express has come under regulatory fire. In 2024 alone, it faced three separate warnings for safety violations. Its parent company, Air India, received eight similar reprimands, including for flying Airbus aircraft with expired emergency slide inspections and breaching regulations on pilot duty hours.
The Tata Group, which reacquired Air India in 2022 with the aim of transforming it into a world-class airline, now faces an uphill battle to restore public confidence. Despite expanding its global operations, the airline continues to be plagued by service complaints and operational setbacks.
As international focus intensifies following the Dreamliner tragedy, the Indian government has been urged to bolster oversight and enforce stricter penalties for safety violations. Industry observers warn that unless systemic flaws are addressed swiftly, India’s aviation ambitions risk being undermined by a patchy safety record.