India’s aviation regulator has identified multiple safety and compliance violations during inspections of Turkish Airlines operations at four major airports, ordering the carrier to ensure full adherence to international standards, a move that comes amid tensions with Ankara that have spilled over to countries linked to Turkey.
The directorate general of civil aviation (DGCA) conducted safety inspections between May 29 and June 2 at Delhi, Hyderabad, Chennai and Bengaluru airports, and found violations by Turkish Airlines, a statement issued by the civil aviation ministry said on Tuesday.
The checks, carried out as per the convention on international civil aviation (ICAO), revealed non-compliance with both international and national aviation safety regulations. The DGCA has directed Turkish Airlines to address the findings and ensure compliance with ICAO standards and recommended practices and DGCA regulations.
“Further follow-up inspections will be conducted as necessary to ensure continuous safety oversight,” the government statement read.
The DGCA flagged several irregularities. Inspectors found that a cargo consignment containing explosives did not have the required prior approval from the regulator, nor was it properly declared in official documentation – a breach of air cargo safety norms that poses significant security risks.
One of the other lapses was reported in Bengaluru, where the marshaller guiding aircraft lacked proper authorisation and a valid competency card, a critical safety requirement for directing aircraft ground operations.
In another violation, an aircraft maintenance engineer (AME) was unavailable during the arrival of a flight, with the procedure instead being handled by a technician. Turkish Airlines’ authorised maintenance partner in India is Airworks, which is responsible for such activities.
Ground handling practices at Hyderabad and Bengaluru further raised red flags. Turkish Airlines was found to be using Globe Ground India as its ground handling agent (GHA) without a formal Service Level Agreement (SLA).
Key equipment such as step ladders and trolleys was being used without clear accountability or proper handover from the previous service provider, Çelebi.
The compliance issues come as Turkish firms face increased scrutiny following the government’s recent crackdown on Turkish aviation companies. Çelebi’s contracts were terminated last month after the government pulled its security clearance due to political tensions following Ankara’s public support for Pakistan in the recent hostilities between India and its neighbour.
The security wing of the civil aviation ministry – the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) – in an order dated May 15 stated: “In the power conferred upon DG, BCAS, the security clearance in r/o Celebi Airport Services India Pvt. Ltd. is hereby revoked with immediate effect in the interest of National Security.”
Çelebi had a presence at nine airports, including Delhi and Mumbai, before its forced exit created operational gaps that appear to have contributed to some of the ground handling irregularities found during the Turkish Airlines inspections.
Despite the tensions, India has maintained a measured approach to Turkish Airlines’ passenger operations, recently granting IndiGo a three-month extension to operate two Turkish Airlines aircraft under a damp lease arrangement, though regulators made clear this would be the final extension.
The inspections were conducted under Article 16 of the ICAO Convention which grants member states authority to inspect foreign aircraft.
