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Air India's Boeing 787 Dreamliner Fleet Cleared for Operations, DGCA Issues Advisory After Recent Technical Issues and Fatal Crash

Strategic Insights

— 3 min read

Following a series of technical issues and the recent fatal crash of an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) completed a focused review of the airline's fleet, revealing no major safety concerns. However, the regulator advised Air India to strengthen internal coordination, particularly around the availability of spare parts and communication between engineering, ground handling, and operations teams.

The DGCA emphasized that a total of 24 Boeing 787 aircraft underwent required safety inspections, and all were found compliant with existing aviation safety standards. The "Enhances Safety Inspection" mandated under Order Para 1 is applicable to the entire Air India B787-8/9 fleet, comprising 33 aircraft. Of these, 4 aircraft are currently undergoing major checks at various MRO facilities. As of 1500 hrs on 17 June 2025, a total of 24 aircraft have successfully completed the required check, with 2 more scheduled for completion the same day, and 1 more the following day. However, the DGCA flagged maintenance-related issues and advised Air India to improve in these areas to minimize flight delays and enhance reliability.

Air India has experienced technical issues and cancellations in recent days, including 7 international flights canceled on Tuesday. The airline has made alternative arrangements for affected passengers and offered full refunds or complimentary rescheduling. Investigations into the Ahmedabad crash and ongoing technical issues continue, with several flights experiencing mid-air scares and cancellations. The closure of Iranian airspace due to the war with Israel has also affected flights headed to Europe, leading to Air India's direct flight from Ahmedabad to London being suspended and then resumed with a new flight code.

Key Takeaways:

  • The DGCA conducted a focused review of Air India's Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet and found no major safety concerns after a series of technical issues and the fatal crash of an Airbus A320.
  • A total of 24 Boeing 787 aircraft underwent required safety inspections, and all were found compliant with existing aviation safety standards.
  • The "Enhances Safety Inspection" mandated under Order Para 1 is applicable to the entire Air India B787-8/9 fleet, comprising 33 aircraft.
  • Of these, 4 aircraft are currently undergoing major checks at various MRO facilities, with 2 more scheduled for completion and 1 more the following day.
  • 24 aircraft have successfully completed the required safety checks as of 1500 hrs on 17 June 2025.
  • The DGCA advised Air India to strengthen internal coordination, particularly around the availability of spare parts and communication between engineering, ground handling, and operations teams.
  • Air India has experienced technical issues and cancellations in recent days, including 7 international flights canceled on Tuesday.
  • The airline has made alternative arrangements for affected passengers and offered full refunds or complimentary rescheduling.
  • Investigations into the Ahmedabad crash and ongoing technical issues continue, with several flights experiencing mid-air scares and cancellations.
  • The closure of Iranian airspace due to the war with Israel has also affected flights headed to Europe, leading to Air India's direct flight from Ahmedabad to London being suspended and then resumed with a new flight code.

Statistics:

  • A total of 24 Boeing 787 aircraft underwent required safety inspections, and all were found compliant with existing aviation safety standards.
  • The "Enhances Safety Inspection" mandated under Order Para 1 is applicable to the entire Air India B787-8/9 fleet, comprising 33 aircraft.
  • As of 1500 hrs on 17 June 2025, a total of 24 aircraft have successfully completed the required safety checks.
  • Air India has canceled 7 international flights on Tuesday, including AI 915 (Delhi-Dubai), AI 153 (Delhi-Vienna), AI 143 (Delhi-Paris), AI 159 (Ahmedabad-London), AI 133 (Bengaluru-London), AI 170 (London-Amritsar), and AI179 (Mumbai to San Francisco).
  • The airline has made alternative arrangements for 211 passengers on the stranded Boeing 777-200 LR and offered full refunds or complimentary rescheduling.
  • The closure of Iranian airspace due to the war with Israel has affected flights headed to Europe, leading to Air India's direct flight from Ahmedabad to London being suspended and then resumed with a new flight code.

Sources:

  • "Air India's Boeing 787 fleet cleared for operations after DGCA review." Pioneer.
  • "DGCA conducts focus review of Air India's Boeing 787 fleet, finds no major safety concerns." HT Digital Content Services with permission from Pioneer.
  • "Air India cancels 7 flights, terminates San Francisco-Mumbai flight due to technical snag." HT Digital Content Services with permission from Pioneer.
  • "DGCA flags maintenance issues in Air India's Boeing 787 fleet, advises improvement." HT Digital Content Services with permission from Pioneer.
  • "Iran closes airspace due to war with Israel, affecting flights headed to Europe." HT Digital Content Services with permission from Pioneer.

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