DGCA Finds No Major Flaws in Air India's Dreamliner Fleet

Troubles at Air India continue as 7 international flights cancelled

- OUR CORRESPONDENT

MUMBAI: The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on Tuesday said it found no major safety lapses in Air India's Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet following enhanced checks initiated after last week's deadly crash in Ahmedabad that claimed 241 lives.

The regulator had launched heightened surveillance of Air India's 33 Dreamliners—a mix of 26 B787-8 and seven B787-9 aircraft—after the June 13 incident. "The recent surveillance conducted on Air India's Boeing 787 fleet did not reveal any major safety concerns. The aircraft and associated maintenance systems were found to be compliant with existing safety standards," the DGCA said in a statement.

A comprehensive review was conducted by DGCA officials with senior executives of Air India and Air India Express amid rising public concerns and the cancellation of 66 Dreamliner-operated flights between June 12 and June 17. During this time, 248 scheduled flights with B787s were operated.

While no immediate safety violations were identified, the DGCA drew attention to certain maintenance-related issues reported by the airline. Directions were issued to reinforce coordination between departments such as engineering, operations, and ground handling.

"The airline was advised to ensure the availability of adequate spare parts and to strictly follow regulatory provisions to avoid further passenger inconvenience," the DGCA said.

To further streamline operations, the regulator has recommended a real-time defect reporting mechanism. This, officials said, would help operational units make quicker decisions and void cascading disruptions.