5 Indian airlines report 183 tech snags in 2025
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Five Indian airlines have reported up to 183 technical flaws in their aircraft as of July this year, according to the civil aviation ministry in a written response to the Lok Sabha on Thursday.
Out of the 183 technical issues reported to the aviation watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), 85 were reported by Air India and Air India Express jointly. According to government data, IndiGo and Aksa Air recorded 62 and 28 technical issues, respectively, whereas SpiceJet reported only 8 defects.
"All defects reported by the airline to the DGCA are required to be investigated for taking appropriate rectification action. The investigation of all defects, particularly major defects, has to be completed expeditiously so as to take preventive/corrective action at the earliest possible," Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said in the written reply.
Meanwhile, the government notified the lower House of Parliament that up to 112 Air India pilots had taken sick leave following the tragic Ahmedabad jet accident on June 12, which killed at least 260 people, including all but one of the 242 on board.
"Air India reported a minor increase in sick leaves reported by pilots across all fleets in the aftermath of the AI-171 accident. On 16.06.2025, a total of 112 pilots reported sick, comprising of 51 Commanders (P1) and 61 First Officers (P2)," the minister said in a written reply, TNIE reported.
The minister was responding to a Lok Sabha member's question about whether Air India has been witnessing widespread sick reporting by its flight crew members since the tragedy.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation's (DGCA) medical circular, issued in February 2023, advised airlines to provide a separate, standalone, and customised training capsule for flight crew/ATCOs (Air Traffic Controllers) to recognise and manage the negative effects of mental health conditions.
"Additionally, on mental health monitoring, the organisations (scheduled and non-scheduled operators, FTOs and AAI) were also advised to have a Peer Support Programme (PSP) in place for their employees.
The organisations are required to enable, facilitate and ensure access to this proactive and non-punitive programme that will assist and support flight crew/ATCOs in recognising, coping with and overcoming any problem," Mohol said.
FTOs and AAI stand for Flying Training Organisations and the Airports Authority of India, respectively. In another written response, Mohol stated that the civil aviation ministry currently has no explicit policy on compensation for losses caused by civilians on the ground as a result of a plane disaster.
