Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Jun 4: In a damning revelation, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has found multiple safety violations by Turkish Airlines during surprise inspections conducted between May 29 and June 2 at major Indian airports including Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Bengaluru.

The inspections, carried out under Article 16 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (ICAO), revealed several breaches in safety protocols involving both passenger and cargo operations, the Ministry of Civil Aviation said in a statement today.

A major lapse was reported at Bengaluru airport, where the marshaller—responsible for directing aircraft on the ground—was found untrained and lacked the mandatory ‘competency card’ for the job. In another serious violation, an aircraft technician, instead of a certified Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME), conducted the mandatory arrival checks. Notably, the authorised maintenance agency, Airworks, was absent during the procedure.

Cargo safety was also severely compromised. Turkish Airlines was found transporting hazardous materials, including explosives, without obtaining the required DGCA permissions. In several instances, documentation related to these dangerous goods was either missing or incomplete, officials said.

The inspections also uncovered weak ground-handling arrangements. At Hyderabad and Bengaluru airports, Turkish Airlines had no formal service-level agreement (SLA) with its ground-handling partner, Globe Ground India. Additionally, vital equipment such as ladders, trolleys, and power units had no proper record or traceability.

In light of the findings, the DGCA has ordered Turkish Airlines to undertake immediate corrective measures and ensure strict compliance with both Indian and international aviation safety norms. Further inspections have been planned to maintain heightened oversight and safeguard passenger and operational safety, the DGCA stated.

Meanwhile, Turkish Airlines is also facing backlash in India following Turkey's controversial support to Pakistan during the recently concluded Operation Sindoor, further intensifying scrutiny over the airline’s operations in the country.