Air India today said it fired a simulator trainer pilot for lapses, and removed from flying duties 10 others who trained under him, pending further investigation.

The action came after a whistleblower flagged the simulator trainer pilot not doing his job properly while training others, the Tata group-owned airline said in a statement.

“Recently, a whistleblower alleged that a simulator trainer pilot had failed to properly discharge his duties during recurrent simulator training for pilots. A detailed investigation was conducted and, following a review of the evidence, the allegation was corroborated,” Air India said.

“Accordingly, the said trainer pilot’s services are being terminated. As a precaution, 10 pilots who underwent recurrent training under the trainer pilot have been removed from flying duties pending further investigation,” it said.

Air India said it voluntarily reported the matter to the aviation regulator, DGCA, as part of its voluntary disclosure practice, and commended the whistleblower for stepping forward.

The airline said 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.

“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. An apex ethics committee led by senior management oversees efforts to foster a culture with zero tolerance for unethical behaviour. Extensive awareness campaigns are regularly conducted to reinforce expectations,” Air India said.

A structured process for capturing allegations, conducting investigations and enforcing strict consequences was also introduced, it said, adding these are logged and investigated by an experienced team, independent of external interference.

Under this process, in 2024 alone, more than 30 Air India employees have been terminated for various ethical breaches , with numerous others receiving other disciplinary action, the airline said.

Tata group took over loss-making Air India from the government in January 2022.