Air India Flight Attendants Use Paper Napkins to Seal Leaking Door on Boeing 787 Mid-Flight

The incident occurred on a June 1 flight from Delhi to Hong Kong, where a passenger cabin door started making hissing and growling noises about an hour into the flight. After plugging paper napkins into the thin gap at the top of the door, the flight attendants were able to seal and quieten the door, allowing the flight to continue safely. This is not the first case of a B787 having a door grumbling mid-flight; at least three other instances have been recorded by airlines in 2019 and 2022.

Key Takeaways:

• The incident occurred on flight AI-314, which left Delhi at 11.45 pm on June 1, over an hour after its scheduled departure time.
• The door started shaking and making noises due to the air pressure difference within and outside the aircraft, causing pressurised air to leak through the compromised door seal.
• The Boeing 787 has an advanced plug-type door, which is electronically monitored and closes by plugging into the fuselage for pressurisation.
• In none of the reported cases did the aircraft suffer from a cabin depressurisation problem, and the safety of flight attendants and passengers remains top priority.
• Air India stated that the safety of its customers and crew remains top priority, and the aircraft underwent checks by the engineering team after the incident.
• Other airlines have experienced similar issues, including American Airlines, TUI Airlines, and Japan Airlines, with the most recent documented case occurring in October 2022 on an American Airlines flight.

Statistics:

• At least three reported cases of Boeing 787 door grumbling mid-flight, with the first instance occurring in 2019 by Japan Airlines and the last two in 2022 by TUI Airlines and American Airlines.
• The October 2022 case involved passengers complaining of fumes detected around two doors on a Boeing 787 flight from Philadelphia to Paris.
• The February 2022 case involved a small hole in the door seal causing howling noises on a TUI airlines B787-800 flight from Amsterdam to Punta Cana.
• The August 2019 case resulted in a Japan Airlines flight from Tokyo to Bangkok landing back in Tokyo two hours after departure due to growling sounds and vibrations coming from the main door.
• The Air India flight underwent checks by the engineering team after the incident and was found to be in compliance with all safety parameters.

Sources:

• Air India statement on the incident, dated June 2023
• Social media post by a passenger describing the incident, dated June 1, 2023
• Japanese Airlines' report on the August 2019 incident, dated August 2019
• American Airlines' report on the October 2022 incident, dated October 2022
• TUI Airlines' report on the February 2022 incident, dated February 2022