Air India fined for flying unairworthy A320neo

AIR INDIA BOEING 787-8 VT-ANP (MSN 36287)

India’s civil aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has imposed a monetary penalty of 10 million INR (approximately USD 110,000 / AUS $156,000) on Air India for operating an Airbus A320-200N aircraft without a valid certificate of airworthiness.

The aircraft in question was VT-TQN (MSN 11097)

According to a regulatory order issued on the 5th of February the penalty pertains to eight scheduled commercial flights conducted on the 24th and the 25th of November 2025. The DGCA stated that the violation “further eroded public confidence and adversely impacted the organisation’s safety compliance.” The regulator held Air India’s Chief Executive Officer, Campbell Wilson, accountable for the breach and ordered the suspension of two senior officials from the airline’s Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation.

It was reported the aircraft operated flight sectors linking Bengaluru International Airport, Delhi International Airport, Hyderabad International Airport, and Mumbai International Airport without the mandatory Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC). Although the aircraft had undergone maintenance for approximately one month prior to these operations, engineering personnel failed to renew the expired certification before the aircraft was returned to service.

An internal investigation by the Tata Sons owned airline identified "systemic failures" and insufficient cross-checks. The inquiry revealed that the head of the defect cell closed a query regarding required approvals without conducting proper verifications.

"All identified gaps have since been satisfactorily addressed and shared with the authority," the airline said in a statement. Air India noted that it has now voluntarily reported the non-compliance to the regulator.