The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Tuesday said Air India has cancelled 66 flights operated with Boeing 787 aircraft since the June 12 fatal plane crash in Ahmedabad, which involved the same aircraft model.
In a statement following a detailed review of Air India and Air India Express operations, the DGCA said its recent surveillance of Air India’s Boeing 787 fleet found no major safety issues. "The aircraft and associated maintenance systems were found to be compliant with existing safety standards," it stated.
However, the DGCA flagged concerns over recent maintenance-related lapses and directed Air India to improve coordination between its internal departments to strengthen overall safety compliance.
Air India's fleet has 33 Boeing 787-8/9 planes
Meanwhile, several Air India international flights were cancelled on Tuesday, days after the deadly crash in Ahmedabad involving a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.
Among the affected services were Delhi-Dubai (AI 915), Delhi-Vienna (AI 153), Delhi-Paris (AI 143), Ahmedabad-London (AI 159), Bengaluru-London (AI 133), and London-Amritsar (AI 170). Most of these routes are operated using the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, the same aircraft type involved in the June 12 tragedy that killed 241 people shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
Air India cited operational constraints and additional safety checks for the disruptions. A spokesperson said, “We regret the inconvenience and are making alternate travel arrangements, including hotel accommodations, full refunds, or complimentary rescheduling where required.”
Dreamliner diversions and mid-air turnbacks
Amid the cancellations, flight AI 315 from Hong Kong to Delhi was forced to turn back after a technical glitch was detected mid-flight. In another incident, a San Francisco-Mumbai flight (AI 180), which was rerouted through Kolkata due to Pakistani airspace restrictions, was grounded during a scheduled halt at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport after a technical snag was suspected. All 228 people on board, including 211 passengers, were safely deboarded. Some passengers were accommodated in local hotels, though scenes of confusion were reported at the airport.
Paris service suspended due to restrictions at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport
Air India’s Delhi-Paris service (AI 143) was also grounded after pre-flight checks revealed an unspecified issue. The airline clarified that, besides the technical matter, the flight was subject to night operation restrictions at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport. As a result, the return leg (AI 142 from Paris to Delhi) scheduled for June 17 was also cancelled.
Ahmedabad-Gatwick flight cancelled
Separately, the airline confirmed that its Ahmedabad to London Gatwick flight was cancelled due to “aircraft unavailability resulting from airspace restrictions and precautionary checks.” It denied media reports that a technical fault had prompted the cancellation.
IndiGo flight makes emergency landing in Nagpur
In a separate aviation incident on Tuesday, IndiGo flight 6E 2706, en route from Muscat to Delhi via Kochi, made an emergency landing at Nagpur airport following a bomb threat. All passengers were safely deplaned and preliminary checks found nothing suspicious. Authorities are continuing their investigation.
Fallout of the June 12 crash
The disruptions come in the wake of the June 12 crash of Air India flight AI 171, a Dreamliner service from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, which exploded into flames after plunging into a hostel complex just seconds after takeoff. The crash, which occurred less than 2km from the airport, killed 241 of the 242 people on board and at least 33 people on the ground.
A British-Indian man seated in 11A was the sole survivor. The airline has since retired the AI 171 callsign as a mark of respect.
The increasing number of cancellations, return-to-base incidents, and emergency checks involving Dreamliners has raised fresh questions about Air India’s long-haul fleet safety and maintenance practices.
(With inputs from Agencies)
