DGCA warns Turkish Airlines after explosives were found in surprise checks done by DGCA (Photo for representation: AI generated)
Safety concerns for India rose after surprise checks were made in Turkish Airlines over the past week, for safety. Violations were found at four major airports. Allegedly, one of the flights contained explosives without disclosing the information to the DGCA.
The safety checks took place in Delhi, Chennai, Hyderabad, and Bengaluru from 29 May to 2nd of June. In the safety oversight and ramp inspections (SOFA/RAMP) conducted by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), of the Turkish Airlines passenger and cargo flights, it was found that there were a lot of regulatory lapses.
Main Violation
The main violation was the carrying of dangerous goods without the specific permission of the DGCA.
Adding to that, there was not a proper declaration for the explosives.
The Ministry’s thoughts
The aviation ministry said, “The cargo contained dangerous goods for which prior approval from the DGCA is required for the carriage of explosives to or from India. This approval was neither attached nor mentioned in the dangerous goods declaration.”
The ministry then added, “At Bengaluru, the marshaller handling ground operations lacked proper authorisation and a valid competency card for marshalling duties. During the arrival of an aircraft, a maintenance engineer was unavailable, and the procedure was carried out by a technician instead.”
DGCA’s Warning
DGCA warned Turkish Airlines to follow the rules of Indian aviation and act in accordance with the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards.
It was said that follow up inquiries will be taking place to guarantee compliance.
The Turkish Airlines were prompted to address the flaws identified.
Surveillance of Turkish Airlines Passenger and Cargo Flights – Findings from Surveillance of Foreign Aircraft (SOFA/RAMP) Inspection
Turkish Airlines directed to ensure full compliance with ICAO Standards and Recommended Practices as well as DGCA regulations
Read here:…
— PIB India (@PIB_India) June 5, 2025
Action against Turkish airlines comes against the backdrop of Turkey’s support for Pakistan during four-day India-Pakistan military conflict after the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, in which 26 people were killed. Turkey has extended support to Pakistan despite its decades-long record of sponsoring terror in India. A Pakistan-based terror outfit claimed responsibility for the Pahalgam massacre carried out by terrorists, who chose their victims after ascertaining their religious identities. This came days after Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir’s hate speech against Hindus, a minority community, in Pakistan.
