MUMBAI: Air India has fired a simulator trainer pilot for lapses and removed ten pilots who underwent recurrent training under the trainer from flying duties, pending further investigation, the Tata Group airline said on Wednesday.The action came after a whistleblower flagged that the trainer pilot was not conducting training sessions properly.“A detailed investigation was conducted and, following a review of the evidence, the allegation was corroborated. Accordingly, the said trainer pilot’s services are being terminated. As a precaution, ten pilots who underwent recurrent training under the trainer pilot have been removed from flying duties pending further investigation,” said an Air India spokesperson. The spokesperson added that the airline has voluntarily reported the matter to aviation regulator DGCA as part of its voluntary disclosure practice and commended the whistleblower for stepping forward.While Air India did not disclose details of the incident or the trainer’s conduct, a source familiar with the matter said the trainer was repeatedly absent during training sessions and violated other protocols.Air India also stated that it had terminated 30 employees in 2024 for various ethical breaches, with numerous others facing disciplinary action.“Immediately following the privatisation of Air India under the Tata group, the airline implemented the Tata Code of Conduct to establish clear behavioural expectations and accelerate cultural change to that of a Tata Group Company,” the airline said. This included comprehensive training for all employees on Tata’s ethos and ethics-related policies, such as anti-bribery, anti-corruption and whistleblowing, among others. Air India said that an Apex Ethics Committee led by senior management oversees efforts to foster a culture with zero tolerance for unethical behaviour.
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