The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has instructed Turkish Airlines to ensure full compliance with international and national aviation safety standards after surprise inspections at 4 major airports revealed serious security violations and multiple lapses.
The surprise inspections were held between May 29 and June 2, 2025. The DGCA conducted Safety Oversight and Ramp (SOFA/RAMP) inspections of Turkish Airlines’ passenger and cargo flights at Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Bengaluru under Article 16 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation to assess adherence to ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices as well as DGCA norms.
Lapses Found In The Inspection
The ground marshaller did not have valid authorisation and a competency card, raising concerns over procedural integrity in aircraft ground handling at the Bengaluru airport
In another serious breach, the Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME) was not present during the aircraft’s arrival at Bengaluru. A technician carried out the procedures instead, even though Airworks is the designated engineering service provider for Turkish Airlines.
Another serious violation was, a shipment carrying dangerous goods lacked the necessary DGCA permit for the carriage of explosives over Indian airspace. The declaration lacked required documentation and details.
There was no formal Service Level Agreement (SLA) between Turkish Airlines and its Ground Handling Agent (GHA). Ground support equipment, including ladders and GPUs, was used without adequate accountability or formal handover, especially where Globe Ground India operated without proper transition from Celebi at Hyderabad and Bengaluru airports.
The DGCA has ordered Turkish Airlines to rectify all lapses and submit proof of compliance. It also warned that follow-up inspections will be conducted to ensure ongoing adherence to safety standards.
