New Delhi — An Air India Airbus A320 reportedly operated eight commercial flights on November 24–25 despite its Certificate of Airworthiness (CofA) having expired, according to a report in The Economic Times. The aircraft was grounded after an engineer flagged the lapse, and both Air India and India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), are conducting internal investigations. If confirmed, such an occurrence would constitute a major safety lapse under DGCA regulations, as aircraft are prohibited from operating commercial services without a valid Certificate of Airworthiness.
The CofA is a mandatory regulatory document confirming that an aircraft is airworthy and may legally operate commercial services. It is renewed annually after compliance checks and maintenance reviews. If confirmed, operating flights without a valid certificate would represent a significant procedural breach. According to the ET report, Air India has suspended personnel allegedly associated with the lapse, pending the outcome of the investigation.
The reported lapse has raised fresh questions about safety-compliance oversight at a time when Air India is already facing increased scrutiny following the AI171 crash.
Other Compliance Issues Reported in 2025
Delayed Emergency-Equipment Inspections
Earlier in 2025, according to a Reuters report, DGCA issued a warning to Air India for flying three of its Airbus aircraft despite overdue mandatory inspections on emergency-escape slides and related safety equipment. In one case, involving an Airbus A320, the required inspection was delayed by more than a month and ultimately completed on May 15. During this interval, flight-tracking data showed that the aircraft operated international sectors, including Dubai, Riyadh and Jeddah. In another instance, an Airbus A319 was found to have missed its inspection by over three months, while a third aircraft was two days overdue.
EASA Engine Directive Breach and Forging Records
In July 2025, Air India Express came under fire after the DGCA found that one of its Airbus A320s (registration VT-ATD) failed to comply with a 2023 engine airworthiness directive from European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), mandating timely replacement of critical CFM LEAP-1A engine components due to potential manufacturing defects. The airline allegedly altered maintenance records to conceal the lapse. Read The Aviation Brief‘s coverage of the incident.
The airline accepted the lapse and took disciplinary, including removal of the airline’s quality manager and suspension of a deputy airworthiness manager.
Pilot Licensing & Training Compliance Lapses
The crew rostering system at Air India has also been under scrutiny. In June 2025, the DGCA ordered the removal of three senior Air India officials due to violations in flight duty time, rest periods, and licensing requirements.
In a separate instance reported in November 2025, two pilots from Air India were grounded after reportedly operating commercial flights despite license and training non-compliance. According to media reports, a senior captain flew a commercial flight with an expired English Language Proficiency (ELP) certificate, while a co-pilot operated a flight without completing mandatory remedial training after failing a required proficiency check. In both cases the pilots allegedly operated flights despite licence violations.
The issue was reportedly identified during an internal compliance verification. The regulator has launched a formal investigation into the lapse and has asked the airline to submit a detailed compliance report. Air India, in turn, is understood to have off-rostered the crew scheduler and the pilots. The airline has instructed its pilots to re-verify all licence and training documents to ensure regulatory adherence.
DGCA Annual Audit Findings
The alleged incident comes months after DGCA’s annual audit of Indian airlines, which identified 263 safety-related observations across carriers. With 51 lapses, Air India was among the airlines recording the highest number of findings. The audit highlighted a mix of procedural and operational compliance issues, some categorised as Level 1, i.e. more serious observations.
As DGCA examines the reported lapse, the outcome of the investigation will determine what penalties Air India might face and what corrective measures it may be required to implement to strengthen its internal compliance systems. For now, the episode adds to broader questions about the frequency with which safety-related lapses involving Air India have surfaced this year, and how effectively airworthiness and safety-governance protocols are being applied within the airline.
UPDATE:
After publication, Air India issued a press note stating that the compliance lapse involved an expired Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC), not the main Certificate of Airworthiness. An ARC is an annual validation document that confirms continued compliance with maintenance standards and airworthiness requirements, and is issued after a review of an aircraft’s records, physical condition and safety documentation. The airline said the ARC expired while the aircraft was grounded for an engine change, and that it self-reported the lapse to DGCA on November 26 after the aircraft subsequently operated eight revenue flights. The aircraft involved is one of the Vistara A320s being transitioned into Air India as part of the merger, during which ARC renewals for the fleet are temporarily being handled directly by DGCA rather than the operator. DGCA has grounded the aircraft and de-rostered personnel pending investigation, and has asked Air India to review internal compliance processes.
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