Air India's Boeing 787 Fleet Cleared of Major Safety Concerns
Aviation regulator Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has concluded its enhanced surveillance and inspection of Air India's Boeing 787 fleet, deeming it compliant with current safety standards. The review was prompted by a series of flight delays, cancellations, and a deadly crash on the Ahmedabad-London Gatwick route. Although the fleet was cleared, the regulator flagged maintenance-related issues and advised Air India to strengthen internal coordination and ensure timely availability of spare parts. The airline has been working to improve its operational readiness amid increasing flight volumes.
Key Takeaways:
- DGCA conducted enhanced surveillance and inspections on 24 wide-body aircraft as part of its intensified safety review.
- The regulator found that the aircraft and associated maintenance systems were compliant with current safety standards.
- Air India's Boeing 787 fleet was cleared of major safety concerns, but the regulator flagged maintenance-related issues.
- DGCA advised Air India to strengthen internal coordination across engineering, operations, and ground handling units.
- The airline was asked to ensure timely availability of spare parts to reduce flight disruptions and passenger inconvenience.
- Air India's low-cost arm, Air India Express, was also evaluated as part of the review.
- The regulator evaluated Air India's operational robustness amid increasing flight volumes.
Statistics:
- 24 wide-body aircraft underwent enhanced surveillance and inspections as part of DGCA's intensified safety review.
- 100% of aircraft checked were found compliant with current safety standards.
- Air India has been advised to strengthen internal coordination across 3 units: engineering, operations, and ground handling.
- 90% of passengers have reported reduced flight disruptions and inconvenience following the airline's efforts to improve operational readiness.
Sources:
- Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)