BOEING'S TRYST WITH TROUBLES

The latest Air India catastrophe was another devastating blow to the aerospace giant's credibility. Belated reforms in the company appear grossly insufficient to salvage its safety reputation

- ARSHAD KHAN

ONCE a crown jewel of American innovation, Boeing's reputation nosedived after a series of safety failures in recent decades. Founded over a century ago as the gold standard in aviation, the company now faces unprecedented scrutiny as its aircraft, once synonymous with reliability, have suffered multiple catastrophic failures. These tragedies have not only shattered public trust but also triggered alarm among global regulators, raising existential questions about the company's commitment to safety.

In the most recent incident, Air India's Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed in Ahmedabad, killing 241 passengers. While its cause is yet to be ascertained and there is no reason to believe it was due to a manufacturing or design fault, the tragedy added to global concerns after multiple safety incidents involving Boeing aircraft. Boeing's most advanced widebody aircraft is under the lens at a time when the company is still addressing quality control issues across its product line.

India's aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), on Friday directed Air India to carry out additional maintenance check on the Dreamliners in the aftermath of the crash. In a letter to Air India, the regulator listed out the checks the airliner will have to carry out on all of its Boeing 787-8/9 fleet, starting Sunday.

Air India on Saturday said it has done onetime safety checks on nine of its Boeing 787 Dreamliners and is on track to complete the checks on the remaining 24 such planes. In all, Air India has 33 Dreamliners. The Tata Group airline shared that some of these checks could lead to higher turnaround time and potential delays on certain long-haul routes, especially those to airports with operating curfews.