NEW DELHI: India’s aviation regulator has imposed a fine of 4.4 million Indian rupees (US$53,320) on Air Asia India airline and its examiners after lapses were found in its pilots’ training, an official source said on Saturday.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) fined the private airline for violation of applicable civil aviation requirements (CARs), saying that a few mandatory exercises of the pilots of the airline were not done during Pilot Proficiency Check as per schedule, reported Xinhua.
A penalty of 2 million Indian rupees (US$24,236) was imposed on the airline, while a fine of 300,000 Indian rupees (US$3,635) was imposed on each of the eight examiners for failing to discharge their duties as per applicable DGCA CARs.
Besides, the aviation regulator also suspended the private airline’s head of training for three months.
The DGCA carried out a surveillance on Nov 23-25 last year, during which it was found the mandatory exercises of the airline’s pilots were not done during Pilot Proficiency Check/Instrument Rating check, which is an International Civil Aviation Organisation requirement.
Meanwhile, in a statement issued in Malaysia on Sunday AirAsia Aviation Group Limited (AAAGL) clarified that the news about AirAsia India fined over lapses in pilots’ training is not related to AAAGL.
The decisions and control of the operations of AirAsia India rests with the management of AirAsia India in India.
AAAGL has fully divested its remaining equity shares in AirAsia (India) Private Ltd to Air India Ltd, an affiliate of Tata Sons Private Ltd on 2 November 2022 but AirAsia India is permitted to use the AirAsia brand until November 2023.
Hence any news or information regarding the airline should not be attributed to AAAGL, the statement said.