The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has uncovered several serious safety violations by Turkish Airlines during a series of surprise inspections conducted between May 29 and June 2, 2025, at four major Indian airports: Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Bangalore.

These inspections, carried out under Article 16 of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (ICAO), were aimed at ensuring that Turkish Airlines’ passenger and cargo operations met both Indian and international safety standards.

One of the most significant lapses was observed at Bangalore airport, where the marshaller—responsible for guiding aircraft on the ground—was found to be untrained and lacked the mandatory 'competency card' required for the job.

This raised concerns about procedural integrity in ground handling operations. Additionally, in a breach of maintenance protocols, a technician, rather than a certified Aircraft Maintenance Engineer (AME), conducted the aircraft’s arrival checks, violating established aviation safety norms. The designated engineering service provider, Airworks, was not present at the time, further compounding the lapse.

The inspections also revealed that Turkish Airlines had transported dangerous goods, including explosives, without securing the necessary permissions from the DGCA. The required documentation for the carriage of these hazardous materials was either missing or incomplete, posing a significant safety risk.

Furthermore, at Hyderabad and Bangalore airports, Turkish Airlines operated without a formal service-level agreement (SLA) with its ground handling partner, Globe Ground India. Essential ground support equipment such as ladders, trolleys, and ground power units were found to lack proper accountability and monitoring, and there was no formal handover from the previous ground handler, Celebi.

In response to these findings, the DGCA has mandated that Turkish Airlines take immediate corrective actions to address the violations and ensure full compliance with ICAO and DGCA regulations. The regulator has also announced plans for further inspections to maintain continuous oversight and safeguard passenger safety.

These regulatory actions come amid heightened scrutiny of Turkish companies in India, following Turkey’s vocal support for Pakistan during Operation Sindoor. This political stance has led to widespread public and governmental backlash in India, including boycotts of Turkish goods and services, the revocation of security clearances for Turkish ground handling firms, and the termination of aircraft leasing arrangements between Indian and Turkish airlines.

The ongoing diplomatic tensions have intensified the focus on Turkish entities operating in India, with aviation safety and regulatory compliance now under particularly close watch.

Based On NDTV Report