Air India’s Snags Spark DGCA Ire After Tragedy
New Delhi: The catastrophic crash of Air India Flight AI171 in Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025, which killed 279 people, has thrust the airline’s operational reliability into the spotlight, prompting the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to hold a high-level meeting with senior officials from Air India and Air India Express on June 17, 2025, in New Delhi. With the carriers operating over 1,000 daily flights across domestic and international routes, the DGCA zeroed in on maintenance-related delays that have increasingly frustrated passengers, a concern now amplified by questions surrounding the airline’s maintenance practices post-crash. The regulator’s rigorous review aimed to enforce safety and passenger service compliance, pressing Air India to address operational lapses that have left travellers stranded and raised alarms in the wake of one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters.
The Ahmedabad tragedy, where a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner plummeted into a medical college hostel shortly after takeoff, killing 241 of 242 onboard and 38 on the ground, has fueled intense scrutiny of Air India’s maintenance protocols. The DGCA highlighted recent maintenance-related delays, urging the airline to tighten coordination among engineering, operations, and ground handling units and ensure a robust supply of spare parts to curb passenger disruptions. Social media posts on X have speculated about maintenance lapses contributing to the crash, though Turkish officials refuted claims their company serviced the aircraft. The DGCA demanded strict adherence to maintenance regulations, a directive underscored by the ongoing investigation into the crash, which is probing potential issues like engine failure, wing flap malfunctions, or landing gear problems, with maintenance records under close examination following a reported mayday call and a loud bang before the plane’s descent.
Geopolitical challenges have compounded Air India’s woes, with recent airspace closures over Iran forcing flight diversions, delays, and cancellations. The DGCA instructed Air India and Air India Express to implement alternative routing strategies and maintain transparent communication with passengers and crew, as mandated by Civil Aviation Requirements Section 3, Series M, Parts IV and V, to mitigate the impact of these disruptions. Passenger frustration has been palpable, with incidents like Air India Express delaying a Kolkata-Hindon flight due to a technical snag, offering refunds or rescheduling, highlighting broader operational strains. The DGCA reviewed Air India’s wide-body flight data, revealing a troubling trend: from June 12 to June 17, 2025, Air India operated 462 flights but canceled 83, including 248 Boeing 787 flights with 66 cancellations, a figure that includes 66 Dreamliner flights grounded since the Ahmedabad crash, intensifying concerns about reliability.
Safety inspections of Air India’s Boeing 787 fleet were a focal point, with recent surveillance finding no major issues and confirming compliance with safety standards. However, the DGCA’s “Enhanced Safety Inspection” of Air India’s 33 B787-8/9 aircraft, mandated post-crash, remains ongoing. As of 3:00 PM on June 17, 2025, 24 aircraft had cleared the checks, with two more scheduled for completion that day and one the next. Two aircraft remain grounded in Delhi, awaiting serviceability checks before returning to service, while four are at maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) facilities, and will be inspected prior to release. To prevent future disruptions, the DGCA recommended a real-time defect reporting system to streamline communication across safety-critical departments, aiming to enhance decision-making and reduce delays that have vexed passengers.
As Air India grapples with the Ahmedabad crash—providing ₹25 lakh interim payments, setting up assistance centres, and aiding DNA identification for victims’ families—the DGCA’s directives underscore the urgency of restoring passenger trust. The regulator reaffirmed its commitment to safety, reliability, and compliance, vowing to closely monitor all scheduled operators. With the crash investigation leveraging both black boxes to probe causes like bird strikes or maintenance errors, Air India faces a pivotal moment to overhaul its maintenance practices and address passenger inconveniences, ensuring the skies remain safe and dependable for India’s travellers.
– global bihari bureau
