DGCA: No Major Safety Concerns Found in Air India’s Boeing 787 Fleet

CNBC AI News – In a statement released on June 17th, India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) addressed the recent operational oversight of Air India and Air India Express, shedding light on the safety and maintenance protocols of the airlines.

The DGCA, following its review of Air India’s Boeing 787 fleet, has stated that no significant safety concerns were identified, confirming that the aircraft and their maintenance systems comply with current safety standards.

However, the DGCA did express concern regarding reported maintenance-related issues. The regulatory body recommended that Air India enhance internal coordination between its engineering, operations, and ground handling departments. This includes ensuring adequate spare parts availability to minimize passenger delays caused by such issues, and rigorously adhering to all relevant regulations.

The DGCA also advised the implementation of a more systematic and real-time defect reporting mechanism. This would ensure that operational and safety-critical departments receive timely updates, thereby improving overall decision-making capabilities and reducing operational disruptions.

These recommendations come in the wake of reported incidents involving Air India’s Boeing 787-8 aircraft. Recent events include a tragic accident, in addition to instances of technical difficulties requiring returning flights.

On June 12th, an Air India Boeing 787-8 departed from Ahmedabad, India, en route to the UK suffered a serious incident shortly after takeoff.

As of June 14th, the death toll rose to 279, with 242 passengers and crew on board the aircraft, including 1 survivor, and causing causalities on the ground.

On June 16th, Air India flight AI315, operating from Hong Kong to New Delhi, was forced to return to Hong Kong mid-flight in response to pilot concerns over a “suspected technical issue.” The aircraft involved was a Boeing 787-8.