The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Sunday imposed a total fine of Rs 40 lakh on IndiGo Airlines for conducting pilot training on non-qualified flight simulators for operations at critical Category C airports, including Calicut, Leh, and Kathmandu.
According to official orders, the penalty was divided into two separate fines of Rs 20 lakh each, levied on IndiGo’s Director of Training and Director of Flight Operations (DFO) for failing to comply with the DGCA’s Civil Aviation Requirements (CAR) and Rule 133A of the Aircraft Rules, 1937.
The DGCA’s investigation, based on IndiGo’s training records and email responses from July 24 to July 31, revealed that approximately 1,700 pilots, including both captains and first officers, underwent simulator training on Full Flight Simulators (FFS) that were not approved or qualified for Category C airports.
These airports, such as Calicut, Leh, and Kathmandu, are classified as Category C due to their challenging terrain, weather conditions, and approach requirements, necessitating specialised training on certified simulators.
The DGCA order identified 20 simulators located at training facilities in Chennai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Greater Noida, Gurugram, and Hyderabad, operated by training organisations such as CSTPL, FSTC, ACAT, and Airbus. These simulators were found to be “Not qualified for Calicut and/or Leh” despite being used for relevant training sessions. Following these findings, the DGCA issued a Show Cause Notice to IndiGo’s Director of Training on August 11, demanding an explanation for the violations. IndiGo’s response, submitted on August 22, was deemed unsatisfactory, leading to the imposition of the penalties.
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The DGCA order stated, “You were responsible for ensuring compliance with all applicable Civil Aviation Requirements. However, it has been observed that you have failed to ensure the use of appropriately qualified simulators for training related to Class III (critical) airports, in violation of the CAR provisions.” Under Rule 162 of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, and in accordance with Schedule VI-B (Severity Level 5), the DGCA imposed a Rs 20 lakh penalty on each of the two responsible post holders.
Separate demand notices were issued to IndiGo’s Director of Training and Director of Flight Operations, directing them to deposit the penalties into the Bharatkosh government account within 30 days. The notices also informed IndiGo of its right to appeal the decision within 30 days by paying a statutory fee of Rs 1,000 to the Joint Director General of Civil Aviation, as per Rule 3B of the Aircraft Rules, 1937, and Section 33(1) of the Bharatiya Vayu Yan Adhiniyam, 2024.
The DGCA has instructed IndiGo to comply with the penalty and submit payment confirmation within the specified period, warning that non-compliance could lead to further enforcement actions.
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