New Delhi: SpiceJet has emerged as one of the few Indian carriers to receive a clean slate in the Directorate General of Civil Aviation’s (DGCA) latest annual safety audit, recording “zero Level 1 findings”—the most serious category of safety lapses.
In a press release issued on Tuesday, the airline said the outcome reaffirmed its “robust safety culture, strict adherence to regulatory requirements, and alignment with global best practices.” SpiceJet also noted that it had successfully renewed its IATA Operational Safety Audit (IOSA) certification earlier this year, valid through March 2027. The IOSA certification is globally recognised and indicates a high benchmark for operational safety.
The DGCA’s audit covered eight major scheduled carriers over the past year and flagged a total of 263 safety and compliance lapses, including 19 Level 1 violations and 244 Level 2 lapses.
While the aviation regulator has clarified that these findings are part of a routine annual surveillance aligned with ICAO norms and do not necessarily indicate ongoing risk, the audit has nonetheless drawn attention to lapses at some of India’s largest airlines.
In contrast to SpiceJet’s clean record, Air India recorded 51 findings—seven of which were Level 1—ranging from inadequate pilot training and use of unapproved simulators to violations of crew duty time regulations. Vistara, which has now merged into Air India, accounted for ten Level 1 breaches, the highest among all airlines.
Air India Express was flagged for 25 audit observations, including two critical lapses, while IndiGo , India’s largest carrier by market share, had 23 findings, all categorized as Level 2.
Alliance Air, a smaller state-run operator, logged 57 observations but no Level 1 violations.
The release of the audit results comes at a time of heightened sensitivity around aviation safety in India, following the fatal crash of Air India Flight 171 near Ahmedabad on 12 June , which claimed over 260 lives. The incident prompted deeper scrutiny into operational procedures and regulatory oversight.
