It was on the 31st January 2014 that the FAA downgraded India’s aviation safety rating to Category 2 after it had been having concerns since 2009. Back then, the FAA, who were concerned by what it felt was gross under-staffing, especially in the Directorate of Airworthiness, warned of their intention to downgrade India to Category II status. Rapid response saw the implementation of several remedial measures and with the Indian Cabinet committed to recruiting more than 500 additional staff, allowing India to pass its next FAA audit, so retaining its Category 1 status. However the Directorate General of Civil Aviation, Government of India, (DGCA) took its eye off the ball with a succession of four Director Generals in as many years. The DGCA had estimated it needed 928 members of staff to oversee India’s airlines, but up until 2014 only 400 positions had been filled. As a consequence the FAA lost confidence in the DGCA and demoted its safety rating owing to a lack of safety oversight.
The implications of this were such that no new services could fly to the USA and nor could there be any code sharing with US airlines. This primarily affected India’s two international airlines, Air India and Jet Airways. The downgrading was extremely embarrassing to what was seen as one of the world’s fastest emerging aviation markets. Despite the fact that Mexico, having lost its Grade 1 status, managed to get it restored within 4 months back in 2010, for most airlines, it can take many years to regain grade 1 status. Recent downgrades saw Israel taking four years to get theirs back, the Philippines five years, and all eyes are still on Indonesia after more than six years of safety issues.
US Transportation Secretary Anthony Foxx said that “The United States Government commends the Government of India for taking corrective action to address the safety oversight issues identified during the IASA (International Aviation Safety Assessment) process,” after meeting India’s civil aviation minister in Delhi. In 2013-14 International passenger numbers to and from India grew 6.9% to 43 million, which was down from the double-digit growth seen in several years before 2012. Vistara, which is India’s newest airline, indicated last week that it intends to start flying overseas ahead of the anticipated change in rules that will permit new carriers to operate abroad.
Main Menu
FAA restores India’s Category 1 aviation safety rating
Share this Article
Tuesday September 30, 2025
Otto Aerospace has confirmed its first fleet customer. Flexjet will serve as launch partner for the new Phantom 3500, an advanced business jet designed from the ground up for efficiency and sustainability. The Phantom 3500 is a clean-sheet creation. It applies... Read More »
Tuesday September 30, 2025
Honeywell and ITP Aero have officially opened Europe’s first maintenance, repair, and overhaul service centre for the Honeywell F124-GA-200 engine. The landmark facility is located at ITP Aero’s site in Ajalvir, Madrid. The launch was marked with a ribbon-... Read More »
Tuesday September 30, 2025
Air India and Airbus have opened a new pilot training centre at the Air India Aviation Training Academy in Gurugram, Haryana. The facility will train more than 5,000 pilots over the next ten years. It will support the rapid expansion of commercial aviation in ... Read More »
Tuesday September 30, 2025
PLAY Airlines has stopped flying after announcing the immediate closure of its business on Monday, September 29. The Icelandic low-cost carrier said performance had failed to match expectations. Recent months brought poor ticket sales, leaving the airline unab... Read More »
Tuesday September 30, 2025
StandardAero has confirmed the retirement of Steve Sinquefield, its Chief Legal Officer for more than a decade. Sinquefield will step down at the end of 2025, bringing to a close a distinguished 40-year career in aviation law. To ensure continuity, Michael L. ... Read More »
Tuesday September 30, 2025
Werner Aero has announced a major expansion of its warehousing capabilities with the opening of a new 30,000 ft² facility in Tucson, Arizona. This investment lifts the company’s total warehouse space to 75,000 ft², giving it greater capacity to serve airli... Read More »
Monday September 29, 2025
At its Capital Markets Day in Munich, the Lufthansa Group unveiled a sweeping strategic overhaul, setting out ambitious financial targets and announcing deep job cuts as part of a push towards sharper efficiency and higher shareholder returns. The airline grou... Read More »
Monday September 29, 2025
Brussels Airlines will add five new Airbus A320neo aircraft to its fleet. This move brings the total number of A320neo aircraft to 13. It reflects the airline’s drive to cut emissions, improve passenger comfort and grow sustainably. The airline currently fli... Read More »
Monday September 29, 2025
Alaska Air Group has unveiled major leadership changes. The moves highlight its focus on operational excellence and its people-first culture. Chief Operating Officer Constance von Muehlen will retire after nearly 15 years with Alaska Airlines. She joined in 20... Read More »
Monday September 29, 2025
BeauTech Power Systems, a global frontrunner in aircraft engine leasing, has expanded its partnership with British Airways CityFlyer (CityFlyer). The new agreement secures support for the airline’s Embraer E190 fleet through access to 14 CF34-10E engines. Th... Read More »
Monday September 29, 2025
Flydocs has signed a five-year agreement with Air Atlanta Icelandic (Air Atlanta). The Iceland-based charter and ACMI airline will now adopt Flydocs’ Digital Records Management solution across its fleet of 17 aircraft. The partnership gives Air Atlanta Icela... Read More »
Monday September 29, 2025
Sikorsky, part of Lockheed Martin, has secured a US$10.855 billion contract from the US Navy to build up to 99 CH-53K King Stallion helicopters for the US Marine Corps, the largest order so far for the aircraft. The five-year agreement, running from 2029 to 20... Read More »
Friday September 26, 2025
AAR Corp. has acquired American Distributors Holding Co., LLC (ADI) for US$146 million in an all-cash transaction funded through its revolving credit facility. The acquisition immediately strengthens AAR’s Parts Supply segment by expanding its distribution a... Read More »
Friday September 26, 2025
The International Air Transport Association (IATA), in partnership with Worley Consulting, has published a study confirming that sufficient sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) feedstock exists to enable the airline industry to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 20... Read More »
Friday September 26, 2025
Airbus Helicopters has signed a contract with the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) for two H225 multi-role helicopters, a purchase that will broaden the service’s capacity in search and rescue (SAR) and emergency medical services (EMS). The agreement reflects the... Read More »
Friday September 26, 2025
Norwegian has expanded its long-term fleet plan by exercising an option to purchase 30 additional Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft, bringing its total firm order to 80. As part of the agreement, Norwegian and Boeing have also revised delivery dates, with the final ai... Read More »
Friday September 26, 2025
Satair Chengdu, an Airbus Services company, has completed the acquisition of an A319 airframe from China Asset Leasing Company (CALC Tianjin), a wholly owned subsidiary of China Aircraft Leasing Group. The agreement marks the first asset purchase for Satair Ch... Read More »
Friday September 26, 2025
Boeing and Turkish Airlines have confirmed a firm order for up to 75 Boeing 787 Dreamliners, the flag carrier’s largest-ever purchase of wide-body aircraft from the U.S. manufacturer. The order consists of 35 787-9s, 15 of the larger 787-10 variant, and opti... Read More »
Thursday September 25, 2025
Qantas marked a major milestone on September 25, with the launch of its first two Airbus A321XLR aircraft, which entered service on their inaugural commercial flights. The aircraft, named ‘Great Ocean Road’ (VH-OGA) and ‘Outback Way’ (VH-OGB), commence... Read More »
Thursday September 25, 2025
Air Canada has provided an early look at its third-quarter 2025 performance, signalling a significant hit from August’s cabin-crew strike and trimming full-year guidance as a result. For the quarter ending September 30, 2025, the airline now anticipates oper... Read More »