Air India Under Watch as EASA Flags Multiple Aircraft Glitches

International

oi-Gaurav Sharma

India’s flagship carrier Air India has come under heightened regulatory scrutiny after surprise inspections by European aviation authorities flagged a series of technical glitches and maintenance-related findings on some of its aircraft.

A report published by The Economic Times quoted observations made by the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) during routine safety checks conducted at airports across Europe. The findings prompted India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), to intensify monitoring of the airline’s international fleet.

Inspection Data Highlights Technical Issues

According to officials familiar with the inspections, Air India recorded a findings-per-inspection ratio of 1.96 in January, indicating that inspectors detected nearly two issues on average during each aircraft check.

Aviation regulators consider a ratio above 2.0 as a warning level that can trigger stricter oversight or additional inspections. Although Air India has not crossed that threshold, the figure remains higher than the industry benchmark, where well-performing airlines typically keep findings below 1 per inspection.

Safety Metric Value

Findings per inspection (January) : 1.96
Findings per inspection (latest week) : 1.76
Regulatory concern threshold : 2.00
Benchmark for top airlines Below : 1.00

After corrective steps by both the airline and regulators, the figure improved to 1.76 in the latest week, showing gradual progress but still indicating room for improvement.

Surprise Checks Under European Safety Programme

The inspections were carried out under the Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft (SAFA) programme, which allows European authorities to perform unannounced checks on non-EU airlines operating flights into Europe.

During these inspections, officials examine more than 50 safety parameters, including aircraft systems, emergency equipment, documentation, pilot licences and operational readiness.

Some of the reported findings involved minor technical glitches and cabin-related defects, which are more commonly found on older aircraft.

Ageing Fleet Behind Many Snags

Industry officials familiar with the inspections said a significant portion of the findings were linked to Air India’s ageing aircraft fleet, where small technical snags can occur more frequently than on newer jets.

These issues can include worn cabin fittings, broken seats, faded emergency markings or other maintenance items. Even such relatively small defects are formally recorded as safety findings under European aviation rules.

An Air India official noted that European inspection standards are extremely strict, meaning even minor interior issues are treated as reportable violations.

DGCA Intensifies Monitoring

After receiving the inspection report from EASA, the DGCA initiated additional checks to ensure that Air India’s aircraft meet safety standards for international operations.

Officials said the airline has already conducted over 100 internal inspections, while the regulator has also increased oversight of aircraft operating on overseas routes. Aircraft are cleared for further flights only after all identified issues are rectified.

Modernisation Efforts Face Delays

Since taking control of the airline, the Tata Group announced a $400 million aircraft refurbishment programme aimed at modernising older cabins and improving passenger experience.

However, the project has been slowed by global supply chain delays and shortages of aircraft interior components, making it difficult to complete upgrades on schedule.

Airline Continues European Operations

Despite the findings, Air India continues to operate flights to Europe, one of its most important international markets. Regulators say the airline has already made some progress in reducing inspection findings, but further improvements will be required to bring its performance closer to that of leading global carriers.

For now, both the DGCA and EASA are expected to maintain close oversight of Air India’s safety performance, particularly as the airline works to resolve technical glitches and upgrade its ageing fleet.