DGCA fines Air India ₹30 lakh, suspends pilot who brought his friend in cockpit

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Friday suspended an Air India pilot’s licence for three months after he allowed his friend inside the cockpit in violation of safety norms earlier this year. It also imposed a fine of ₹30 lakh on Air India for “not effectively addressing” the incident.

The civil aviation regulator further directed Air India to take administrative action against the pilot in command’s friend, a woman airline staff who was “travelling as passenger”. Officials said that the woman last operated a flight in January and was not supposed to be on duty on the day of the incident.

HT had first reported about the breach on April 21, prompting DGCA to launch a probe into the matter.