DGCA slaps ₹1 crore fine on Air India for operating plane without requisite certification

Aviation safety watchdog DGCA has imposed a fine of ₹1 crore on Tata Group-owned Air India for operating an Airbus A320 Neo plane without the requisite airworthiness certification on at least eight routes last year, according to sources.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), on December 2 last year, said it was probing the incident of Air India operating an A320 Neo plane without having a requisite airworthiness certification on at least eight routes.

The sources said on Friday (February 13, 2026) that the regulator has imposed a ₹1 crore fine on Air India for the violations.

"Air India acknowledges the receipt of a DGCA order in relation to an incident that was voluntarily reported back in 2025. All identified gaps have since been satisfactorily addressed and shared with the authority," the airline said in a statement.

On November 26, 2025, the airline informed the DGCA about the flying of the A320 aircraft with the expired airworthiness review certificate (ARC) on eight revenue sectors.

ARC is issued annually in respect of an aircraft after a comprehensive review of its maintenance records, physical condition and verification of compliance with all airworthiness standards. It is a validation of an aircraft's main certificate of airworthiness.

Under the norms, Air India has been delegated the powers to issue the ARC for an aircraft.

Tata Group-owned Air India has previously faced regulatory actions for certain violations as well.