The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has issued a warning letter to Akasa Air’s founder and CEO, Vinay Dube, for regulatory lapses, following an earlier warning regarding the airline’s handling of dangerous goods.
According to sources, the DGCA highlighted two incidents in its letter—one involving a hard landing and another concerning the failure to update the operations manual within the required timeframe.
Akasa Air under DGCA scanner
This warning comes just days after Akasa Air received another letter from the DGCA on January 9, addressing violations related to the transport of lithium batteries. During a December 12 inspection in Ahmedabad, the DGCA discovered significant non-compliance, including the airline’s failure to verify battery power levels for electronic devices and accepting shipments exceeding permissible weight limits for lithium batteries on passenger aircraft.
In response to these issues, Akasa Air implemented corrective measures, including issuing circulars to cargo agents and cautioning staff about proper cargo handling procedures. Despite these actions, the DGCA has urged the airline to maintain vigilance and prevent further violations. The regulator has also required Akasa Air to conduct internal audits of all cargo handling and acceptance facilities within 30 days.
This is the second warning issued to the airline in less than a week. Last month, the DGCA had suspended Akasa’s head of operations and head of training for lapses in pilot training. Additionally, in October 2024, the airline was fined Rs 10 lakh for failing to compensate passengers who were denied boarding at Bangalore Airport in September.