Air India is under increased scrutiny from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) after an audit revealed over 50 safety lapses within the airline's operations. The audit, which is an annual exercise, occurred in the wake of a fatal Boeing 787 crash in Ahmedabad last month, although the audit findings are reportedly not directly linked to the crash.

The DGCA's audit of eight domestic airlines uncovered a total of 263 safety violations, with Air India having the second-highest number at 51. These lapses are classified into two levels: Level 1, which indicates non-compliance issues that could seriously endanger safety and require immediate corrective action, and Level 2, which refers to safety gaps that could lower or possibly hazard safety. Air India had seven Level 1 findings, the most serious classification, and 44 Level 2 lapses. Other airlines, including Vistara and Air India Express, which are part of the Air India Group, also had Level 1 findings.

While the specific details of all the lapses have not been publicly released, reports indicate issues with pilot training, the use of unapproved simulators, and poor pilot rostering. There were "recurrent training gaps" among Boeing 787 and 777 pilots who reportedly missed mandatory monitoring duties. The DGCA also found instances where Air India pilots exceeded their flight duty period limits. In one case, an AI-787 Milan-New Delhi flight exceeded the limit by 2 hours and 18 minutes, which was classified as a Level I non-compliance. The airline's rostering system was also criticized for not providing a "hard alert" when a minimum number of crew members were not deployed on a flight, with reports of at least four international flights that flew with insufficient cabin crew. Furthermore, Air India has faced warning notices for running aircraft without checking emergency equipment, not changing engine parts in time, and forging records, alongside lapses related to crew fatigue management.

The DGCA has stated that a higher number of audit findings for airlines with extensive operations and large fleet sizes is "entirely normal". The regulator emphasized that the scale of activities means such observations reflect the breadth and depth of their operations rather than any unusual lapse. With nearly 300 aircraft, Air India also had 74 level 2 findings. In comparison, IndiGo, with 419 aircraft, had 23 findings.

Following the audit, the DGCA has instructed airlines to submit timely compliance and corrective action-taken reports. Airlines are typically given three months to address the issues. The DGCA reassured the public that its processes are robust and the presence of such findings is a testament to active regulatory oversight.