The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had issued warnings to Air India over violations of safety protocols. The airline had reportedly continued operating three of its Airbus aircraft despite overdue safety inspections on critical emergency systems, according to a Reuters report citing government documents.
The scrutiny intensified following a tragic incident involving Air India flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which crashed during takeoff from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
The crash resulted in the deaths of 241 passengers and crew on board, with only one survivor, and claimed the lives of at least 28 people on the ground.
The DGCA’s report revealed that, during spot checks last month, it was found that three Airbus planes in Air India's fleet were flying without having completed mandatory checks on essential emergency equipment, specifically the escape slides.
In one instance, an Air India Airbus A320 was flown to international destinations like Dubai, Riyadh, and Jeddah, even though required safety inspections had been overdue by more than a month.
Another case involved an Airbus A319, used on domestic routes, where inspections had been delayed by over three months. A third aircraft was found to have missed its inspection by two days, TNIE reported.
The DGCA stated in its report that these incidents showed aircraft were being operated with expired or unverified emergency equipment, constituting a breach of standard airworthiness and safety protocols.
The aviation authority further noted that Air India had not submitted timely compliance reports in response to the deficiencies flagged, pointing to weak internal processes and oversight.
Following the fatal plane crash in Ahmedabad, the DGCA has directed increased monitoring of Air India's Boeing 787 fleet.
Despite the incident, Air India CEO and Managing Director Campbell Wilson stated that the crashed Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner had been properly maintained. He noted that the aircraft had undergone a major maintenance check in June 2023, with its next inspection scheduled for December 2025.
Meanwhile, a multi-disciplinary team from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has launched a formal investigation into the crash.
Air India announced the cancellation of several domestic and international flights on Friday, attributing the disruptions to increased maintenance and operational requirements.
According to the airline, affected international routes include flights from AI906 from Dubai to Chennai; AI308 from Delhi to Melbourne; AI309 from Melbourne to Delhi; AI2204 from Dubai to Hyderabad and domestic flights AI874 from Pune to Delhi; AI456 from Ahmedabad to Delhi; AI-2872 from Hyderabad to Mumbai and AI571 from Chennai to Mumbai.
The airline stated that the cancellations were necessary due to ongoing maintenance efforts and operational adjustments.