On Which Routes Did Air India Fly With Expired Airworthiness Licence?

New Delhi: In a serious issue of security lapse concerning Air India, it has come to light that the airline operated aircraft in eight revenue sectors with an expired Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC). The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has launched an investigation into Air India.

 Air India CEO Campbell Wilson and CTO Sirisa Kanta Dash have been summoned by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) for explanations on this serious lapse.

On Which Routes Did Air India Fly With Expired Licence?

Among the eight routes on which Air India operated its aircraft with the expired licence are:

1. Mumbai to Bhuj 
2. Bengaluru to Mumbai
3. Delhi to Bengaluru 
4. Rajkot to Delhi
5. Delhi to Rajkot

The airline flew its aircraft on three other routes with an expired Airworthiness Review Certificate (ARC).

Air India self-reported the incident to the DGCA on November 26, 2025, following which the DGCA instituted an investigation and instructed the operator to ground the aircraft.

On the instructions of the DGCA, Air India is carrying out internal investigation to “identify deficiencies in their system and put corrective measures in place to prevent such failures from occurring in future”, a press release said.

ARC is issued annually in respect of an aircraft after a comprehensive review of its maintenance records, physical condition and verification of compliance with all airworthiness standards. It acts as a validation of the aircraft's main Certificate of Airworthiness.

Air India Crash

The major security lapse comes just months after a London-bound Air India flight crashed seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad Airport. As many as 228 passengers and 12 crew members died in the crash, with just one passenger surviving the mishap in June.

The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which had crashed into the hostel block of B. J. Medical College campus, was completely destroyed in the crash. Investigations into all possible causes of the crash are still ongoing.

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