New Delhi: India’s civil aviation regulator DGCA has confirmed that Air India cancelled 66 Boeing 787 Dreamliner flights in the days following the Ahmedabad crash on June 12. However, an in-depth surveillance of the fleet has shown no major safety concerns, the regulator said on Tuesday.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) launched checks across Air India’s fleet of comprising 26 787-8 and seven 787-9 after the London-bound AI171 flight crashed into a hostel complex shortly after takeoff, killing 241 passengers and several on the ground.
No major safety concern
“Recent surveillance conducted on Air India’s Boeing 787 fleet did not reveal any major safety concerns. The aircraft and associated maintenance systems were found compliant with existing safety standards,” DGCA said in an official statement.
The cancellations, which occurred between June 12 and June 17, were part of precautionary steps taken to inspect and review operational integrity. During the same period, the airline operated 248 Dreamliner flights. DGCA has advised the Tata Group-owned airline to strengthen internal coordination across engineering, operations, and ground handling, and to ensure adequate spares are available to minimise future delays.
Concerns raised over maintenance-related issues
DGCA officials held a high-level review meeting with top executives of Air India and Air India Express, which operate over 1,000 flights daily. At the meeting, concerns were raised about recent maintenance-related issues, and the airlines were directed to implement a more systematic, real-time defect reporting mechanism.
The regulator also reviewed the impact of recent Iranian airspace closures on international routes, which have resulted in further delays and flight diversions. Operators were told to ensure timely passenger communication and adopt alternate routes.
DGCA said 24 out of 33 Dreamliner aircraft have already undergone the mandated safety inspections, while the rest are in process, including two aircraft grounded in Delhi.
