50% commercial aircraft show recurring defects, Parliament panel flags ‘serious safety gaps’

A Parliamentary panel has raised serious concerns over aviation safety, revealing that nearly 50 per cent of commercial aircraft audited between January 2025 and February 2026 reported recurring technical defects. Out of 754 aircraft inspected, 377 were found to have repeated issues, prompting the Standing Committee on Civil Aviation to call for a “fundamental reset” of the country’s safety architecture.

Among airlines, IndiGo recorded the highest number of defects, with 148 out of 405 aircraft showing recurring issues. Significant lapses were also observed in Air India and Air India Express fleets, where a large proportion of inspected aircraft were flagged for persistent technical problems.

The panel warned that the scale and consistency of these defects could impact passenger safety and operational reliability. It also cited a detailed audit by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation following a major crash, which uncovered around 100 safety lapses, including critical violations requiring immediate corrective action.

Further concerns included pilot training gaps on wide-body aircraft, breaches of flight duty time limits, inadequate cabin crew on some international flights, and regulatory violations. The panel also highlighted staffing shortages within the aviation regulator itself and urged stronger oversight, enforcement, and institutional capacity to address systemic risks.