DGCA slaps ₹80 lakh fine on Air India for ‘overworking’ pilots

Aviation safety regulator, Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has imposed a financial penalty of ₹80 lakh on Air India for ‘overworking’ its pilots in violation of laid-down mandatory duty hours for crew. The DGCA conducted a spot audit in January and upon random scrutiny found lapses in providing adequate weekly rest of 36 hours for the cockpit crew, and adequate rest before and after ultra-long range flights such as those to the U.S., it said in a statement. Pilots were also found to exceed their maximum duty periods. DGCA also found that the airline had instances of both pilots above the age of 60 flying together in breach of rules.