Nearly half of the aircraft audited across Indian airlines since January 2025 were found to have repetitive technical defects, according to government data tabled in the Lok Sabha. Of the 754 aircraft reviewed across six scheduled carriers, 377 were flagged for recurring snags, raising fresh questions about fleet maintenance and regulatory oversight amid rapid aviation growth.
The data was shared in a written reply by Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol, who said the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) carried out extensive surveillance and audit activity during the year.
This included 3,890 surveillance inspections, 56 regulatory audits, 84 Surveillance of Foreign Aircraft (SOFA) checks and 492 ramp inspections to ensure compliance with safety and operational norms.
Big fleets, bigger numbers
Among all airlines reviewed, IndiGo and the Air India Group accounted for the highest number of aircraft with repetitive defects. As of February 3, IndiGo had 405 aircraft examined, of which 148 were found to have recurring technical issues.
The numbers were sharper for the Air India Group. Out of 166 Air India aircraft analysed, 137 were flagged for repeated defects. In addition, 54 Air India Express aircraft showed recurring issues out of 101 reviewed. Taken together, 267 aircraft operated by the Air India Group were examined, and 191 of them, nearly 72 per cent, were identified with repetitive defects.
How other airlines fared
Other carriers showed comparatively lower numbers but were not immune. SpiceJet had 16 aircraft with recurring defects out of 43 reviewed, while Akasa Air recorded repetitive issues in 14 of its 32 aircraft analysed.
Overall, the data suggests that larger fleets naturally contribute to higher absolute numbers, but the proportion of aircraft flagged, particularly in the case of the Air India Group, stands out and invites closer scrutiny.
Air India pushes back
Reacting to the figures, Air India said the data reflected its decision to conduct comprehensive checks across its fleet as a precautionary step. An Air India spokesperson told PTI that inspections were carried out “out of an abundance of caution”, which resulted in a higher number of observations.
A senior Air India executive added that most of the issues flagged were low-priority and not related to flight safety. Aircraft defects are categorised from A to D based on urgency, and the majority of concerns in Air India’s case fell under Category D. These include non-essential items such as seats, tray tables and in-flight entertainment screens, the executive said.
Safety vs perception
While the airline insists that safety was never compromised, the data highlights a growing perception challenge. For passengers, the distinction between a cosmetic issue and a technical defect is often blurred, especially at a time when delays, cancellations and aircraft-related complaints are already under the spotlight.
The Air India executive said these minor issues would be addressed as part of the airline’s narrow-body aircraft retrofit programme, scheduled to be implemented over the next two years.
Regulator expands oversight muscle
The government also sought to underline the scale of regulatory monitoring underway. In addition to planned inspections, the DGCA conducted 874 spot checks and 550 night surveillance inspections as part of unplanned oversight activities during the year.
Addressing concerns about regulatory capacity, Mohol said the DGCA had 637 sanctioned technical posts in 2022. To tackle manpower shortages going forward, the organisation has been restructured, increasing sanctioned technical positions to 1,063.
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What the data really says
The figures do not point to an immediate safety crisis, but they do reflect stress points in a fast-expanding aviation sector. As fleets grow and aircraft age, repetitive defects, minor or otherwise, become harder to ignore.
The government’s data makes one thing clear: inspections are intensifying, findings are increasing, and airlines will have to balance expansion with consistent upkeep if they want to retain passenger confidence in an increasingly competitive skies.
