New Delhi : One of Air India’s A320 aircraft operated several flights in November without a valid Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC), a mandatory safety document required for commercial operations. Air India said the violation was identified internally and promptly reported to the DGCA. The airline termed the incident “regrettable” and reiterated its commitment to “the highest standards of operational integrity and safety.”
An ARC validates an aircraft’s primary Certificate of Airworthiness (C of A) and is issued after a comprehensive annual review of its maintenance records, physical condition, and compliance with airworthiness standards. The affected aircraft, an Airbus A320, completed multiple flights in November without this certification. The DGCA said Air India is delegated the authority to issue ARCs for the aircraft it operates.
As part of the Vistara–Air India merger, it had been decided in 2024 that the first ARC renewal for all 70 Vistara aircraft would be carried out directly by the regulator. ARCs for 69 of these aircraft have already been issued after satisfactory compliance. For the 70th aircraft, the operator applied for the ARC renewal, but the aircraft was later grounded for an engine change.
The regulator said Air India informed it on November 26, 2025, that the aircraft had flown “eight revenue sectors” despite the expired certificate. The DGCA has instituted an investigation, instructed the airline to ground the aircraft and confirmed that the ARC process is now underway.
Air India has been directed to carry out an internal investigation to identify systemic gaps and implement corrective measures “to prevent such failures from occurring in future. An incident involving one of our aircraft operating without an airworthiness review certificate is regrettable. As soon as this came to our notice, it was duly reported to the DGCA and all personnel associated with the decision have been placed under suspension, pending further review,” the airline said.
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