India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has warned Air India that it may suspend or revoke the airline's licence after ordering the removal of three staffers for "repeated and serious violations" related to pilot staffing. The news comes as authorities investigated the cause of a horrific plane crash that resulted in the deaths of 241 people on board and several more on the ground. 

The regulatory body cited "systemic failures in crew scheduling, compliance monitoring, and internal accountability" for its decision. DGCA has said that any future violation of crew scheduling norms, licensing, or flight time limitations will attract "strict enforcement action". According to the Hindustan Times, DGCA ordered an immediate removal of Choorah Singh, divisional vice president of the Integrated Operations Control Centre (IOCC), Pinky Mittal, chief manager-DOPS, crew scheduling and Payal Arora, crew scheduling-planning, from all roles related to crew scheduling and rostering.

In its June 20 enforcement order, the DGCA said: “Of particular concern is the absence of strict disciplinary measures against key officials directly responsible for these operational lapses. These officials have been involved in serious and repeated lapses.”

Any future violation detected in any of these areas will "attract strict enforcement action, including but not limited to penalties, license suspension, or withdrawal of operator permissions as applicable," the regulator warned.

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