According to official papers, Air India was cautioned by India’s aviation regulator for violating safety regulations after three of its Airbus aircraft operated even though they were past due for emergency equipment inspections and for failing to promptly resolve the problem.
The Reuters-reviewed warning notices and investigation report were delivered days before the crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8 last week, which killed all but one of the 242 persons on board. They had nothing to do with the disaster.
According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s report, spot checks conducted in May on three Air India Airbus aircraft revealed that they were in operation even though the “critical emergency equipment” of the escape slides needed to be inspected.
