The DGCA in a release
said that the pilot involved has been issued a warning to exercise greater
caution to avoid similar incidents in the future. "Air India Ltd operated
a flight commanded by a non-trainer line captain paired with a non-line-released
first officer which has been viewed by the regulator as a serious scheduling
incident having significant safety ramifications," the release said.
After the incident came to light through a
voluntary report submitted by the airline on July 10, the Directorate General
of Civil Aviation (DGCA) conducted a thorough investigation into the carrier’s
operations. According to the
DGCA’s statement, the investigation involved a review of documentation and a
spot check of the scheduling facility.
It revealed significant
deficiencies and multiple regulatory violations by various post holders and
staff, which could substantially impact safety, according to the DGCA's
statement.