Air India Faces Scrutiny From EASA Over Safety Lapses; Inspection Ratio Narrowly Avoids EU Ban Threshold

Mumbai, March 16: The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has raised a high-level alarm regarding safety lapses on Air India flights following a series of unannounced inspections at European airports. After the European authority shared the findings with India's Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the regulator claimed that corrective measures have improved the airline's operations.

Safety inspections flag concerns

EASA data revealed that the airline’s finding ratio — a weighted average of safety faults per inspection — surged to 1.96 in January 2026. This figure brought the carrier dangerously close to the critical 2.0 threshold, a limit that can trigger a total ban from operating within European Union markets and subject the airline to the "EU Air Safety List" of restricted carriers.

The findings, conducted under the Safety Assessment of Foreign Aircraft (SAFA) programme, highlighted issues primarily stemming from the airline's ageing wide-body fleet. Inspectors reportedly flagged approximately 54 parameters, ranging from technical documentation and crew licensing to cabin safety equipment.

Ageing fleet and refurbishment delays

Specific violations included worn-out emergency markings and broken seats — defects that Air India officials attribute to delays in their $400 million fleet refurbishment programme. Global supply chain constraints have significantly hindered the airline's ability to source spare parts and modernise older Boeing 777 and 787 aircraft, many of which are between 15 and 20 years old.

DGCA steps in with corrective measures

Upon receiving the report from the Cologne-based agency, the DGCA immediately intervened, imposing rigorous corrective measures and intensifying oversight of aircraft scheduled for international routes. The regulator confirmed that planes are now only cleared for departure after thorough rectification of any flagged snags.

These urgent interventions appear to be yielding results, as officials reported that as of last week, the finding ratio has successfully decreased to 1.76.

Airline remains under scrutiny

Despite the recent improvement, Air India remains under significant pressure to stabilise its operations. A ratio of less than 1.0 is considered the industry standard for airlines with high safety performance.

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While the current corrective path has averted an immediate operational ban, the EASA and DGCA are expected to maintain heightened scrutiny as the airline continues its complex transition under Tata Group ownership.

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