Air India Express Ignored Jet Engine Safety Replacement Rule

Post by : Ramanpreet Kaur

Photo : X / @airindiax

A Major Safety Concern in Indian Aviation

India’s aviation industry is facing a serious safety concern. One of the country’s well-known airlines, Air India Express, has reportedly failed to follow an important safety order regarding aircraft engine parts. Even more troubling, there are claims that the airline changed its records to make it look like the work had been done when it hadn’t.

This news comes just a few months after the tragic crash of an Air India Dreamliner in June 2025, where 241 people lost their lives. These incidents are raising deep concerns about how seriously safety is being followed in Indian skies.

What Was the Safety Order?

In 2023, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) issued a mandatory safety order for airlines using CFM LEAP-1A engines—the type of engine used in Airbus A320neo aircraft.

The order required airlines to replace specific engine parts because they were found to be made of weakened material, caused by iron contamination during production. If not replaced in time, these parts could lead to engine damage or failure.

The parts included:

• High-pressure turbine (HPT) stage 1 disks
• Forward outer seals
• Compressor rotor spools (stages 6 to 10)

These parts are very important to keeping the engine running safely. The order gave airlines a deadline to make the changes.

What Did Air India Express Do?

One of Air India Express’s Airbus A320neo aircraft, with registration VT-ATD, reportedly did not undergo the required changes by the deadline.

To make things worse, the airline updated its internal records to show that the work had been completed—even though it hadn’t. These changes were made in the company’s maintenance software system, AMOS.

Authorities later found that the aircraft had not been updated as required and the records had been falsified.

About the Plane Involved

• Aircraft: Airbus A320neo

• Registration Number: VT-ATD

• Age: Around 5 years old

• Flight History: Over 14,000 flight hours and more than 6,900 cycles (a cycle is one takeoff and landing)

• Previously operated by: AIX Connect before it merged with Air India Express in 2024

• Owned by: Leased from AerCap

Air India Express Responds

After being notified by India’s aviation regulator DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation), Air India Express acknowledged the mistake.

The airline said it had taken:

• Corrective steps to fix the issue

• Preventive measures to avoid such errors in the future

But the fact that a safety order was missed and the records were changed shows a serious failure in following basic safety standards.

Why Is This So Serious?

In aviation, every rule and guideline is created for passenger safety. Skipping safety work or changing records is not a small issue—it puts lives at risk.

Engines are the heart of an aircraft. If the parts inside them are weak or unsafe, it can lead to engine failure in mid-air, which can be deadly.

Changing records to hide the truth is not only dishonest but also dangerous. It means that no one—not the airline, not the regulators—knows the true condition of the aircraft.

India's Aviation Safety Under Review

This report comes only months after the Air India crash in June 2025, which caused the death of 241 people. That crash led to massive concern across the country.

Now, India’s upper house of Parliament has started a full review of the entire aviation safety system. The review includes:

• Airlines like Air India and IndiGo

• Airport authorities

• Air traffic controllers

The goal is to find weak points in the system and fix them before another tragedy happens.

International Concerns About Safety Investigations

In addition to India’s internal review, there are also concerns from international aviation authorities, especially regarding how India handled the Air India Dreamliner crash.

Some of the concerns include:

1. Flight data recorders (black boxes) were not sent to expert countries like the U.S. or France, which usually help in crash investigations

2. Observers from ICAO, the global aviation body, were reportedly not allowed to take part

3. Fears that political pressure could influence the final investigation report

These issues raise doubts about how open and reliable India’s safety investigations are.

About Air India Express

• Founded: 2005
• Parent Company: Air India (Owned by Tata Group since 2022)
• Type: Low-cost airline
• Destinations: Over 50 cities across India, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia
• Fleet:
• 49 Boeing 737 MAX 8
• 26 Boeing 737-800
• 24 Airbus A320-200
• 12 Airbus A320neo
• 3 Airbus A321neo
• Awaiting 141 more Boeing aircraft (including 737 MAX 10s)

The airline plays an important role in connecting smaller cities in India with the Gulf and Southeast Asia. It is part of Tata Group’s bigger plan to improve Air India’s image and service.

Final Words: Why This Story Matters

Air travel is based on one important promise—that it is safe. When an airline fails to follow important safety rules or hides the truth, it breaks that trust.

India is working hard to grow its aviation industry. More people are flying now than ever before. But if safety rules are not followed, it can cost lives and damage the country's reputation.

Air India Express must now show that it takes safety seriously. So must the government and the regulators. Only then can passengers feel truly safe when they fly.

Air India Express safety violation Air India aircraft safety