Mumbai, June 21: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has mandated the removal of three officials from Tata Group-owned Air India, including a divisional vice president, due to significant lapses in crew scheduling and rostering.

In an order issued on June 20, the DGCA instructed the airline to promptly initiate disciplinary proceedings against these officials.

Air India confirmed receipt of the directive and stated that it has complied with the order.

"During this period, the Chief Operations Officer will oversee the Integrated Operations Control Centre (IOCC) directly. Air India is dedicated to upholding safety protocols and standard practices," the airline mentioned in its statement on Saturday.

The DGCA's order highlighted that Air India had voluntarily disclosed repeated and serious violations regarding the scheduling of flight crew, despite lapses in licensing, rest, and recency requirements.

These issues were identified during a review following the transition from the Air Route Management System (ARMS) to the CAE Flight and Crew Management System.

ARMS is the software utilized by the airline for various operational tasks, including crew rostering and flight planning.

The DGCA noted that while the voluntary disclosures were acknowledged, they indicated systemic failures in crew scheduling, compliance monitoring, and internal accountability. The absence of strict disciplinary actions against key officials responsible for these lapses was particularly concerning.

The regulator pointed out that these officials had been involved in serious and repeated violations, including unauthorized crew pairings and breaches of mandatory licensing and recency norms.

Furthermore, the DGCA warned Air India that any future violations in crew scheduling could lead to severe consequences, including license suspension and operational restrictions.

This latest directive from the DGCA comes as Air India faces heightened scrutiny following a tragic incident involving a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crash last week.

An Air India flight bound for London, AI-171, crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12, resulting in the deaths of all but one individual on board, along with nearly 29 fatalities on the ground when the aircraft collided with a medical facility shortly after takeoff.