The frequency of show-cause notices issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to scheduled commercial airlines rose sharply in the past two years, reflecting both rapid growth in domestic aviation and tighter regulatory oversight.
Data shared with FE in response to a Right to Information (RTI) application shows that scheduled airlines received 88 show-cause notices in 2023. The number more than doubled to 195 in 2024 before easing to 155 in 2025, though it remained well above 2023 levels.
Enforcement Trends
Across the aviation sector, the total number of show-cause notices issued by the DGCA increased from 302 in 2023 to 485 in 2024 and 447 in 2025.
Government data also indicates a broader rise in enforcement activity. Sector-wide regulatory actions climbed from 305 in 2022 to 542 in 2023, rising further to 673 in 2024 before marginally declining to 652 in 2025.
Among airlines, IndiGo received the highest number of show-cause notices between January 1, 2023 and December 31, 2025, with 156 notices. Air India followed with 133 notices, while SpiceJet received 63. Alliance Air was issued 35 notices during the period, followed by Akasa Air with 20 and AIX Connect with 18.
The data also shows a steady increase in notices issued to carriers operating under non-scheduled operator’s permits (NSOP). Such operators provide charter services, private jet rentals and air ambulance operations rather than scheduled passenger services. Show-cause notices to NSOP carriers rose from 80 in 2023 to 96 in 2024 and 101 in 2025.
Separate data provided by the aviation ministry in response to a question in the Rajya Sabha shows a rise in enforcement actions specifically related to safety violations by scheduled airlines. These increased from two in 2021 to seven in 2022 and 10 in 2023, before rising sharply to 22 in 2024 and 19 in 2025.
Officials in the ministry of civil aviation said the increase in notices should be seen in the context of both higher regulatory vigilance and the rapid expansion of domestic aviation.
Tackling Systemic Risks
A parliamentary review has also highlighted gaps in follow-through. The Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture, noted in its August 2025 report that while the regulator has improved surveillance, several safety findings remain unresolved, including issues related to aircraft fitness. The panel recommended time-bound closure of safety observations and stronger penalties as the sector continues to expand.