The government has confirmed that Boeing's detailed examination of the Dreamliner aircraft's fuel control switch locking mechanism found no abnormality, following an Air India pilot's report of a possible issue. This investigation was prompted after an Air India flight from London to Bengaluru in February, and comes amidst an ongoing probe into a fatal Dreamliner crash last year where fuel supply to engines was cut off.
All eyes will be on the Boeing 787 as it will land in the city on Wednesday morning marking its debut on the Indian soil.
According to News 24, Airbus sales chief John Leahy said that Dreamliner is going to cost a lot in maintenance alone as its architecture is not mature and will require a lot of time, money and redesigning of quite a few systems onboard.
US transportation authorities are launching a review of the Dreamliner, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Thursday.
Pilots' grouping FIP has suggested that the AAIB should investigate whether a 'pre-lift off electrical disturbance' could have led to the Air India Dreamliner crash in June last year, which resulted in 260 fatalities.
The company officials informed that a static test of the fuselage was over and an analysis of the results could be finished by the end of December.
Japan Airlines has become the first airline to launch Dreamliner Boeing 787 flights to India.
Let's take a look at the birth, flight and grounding of Dreamliner.
"The deliveries of all 787 dreamliners will start from the second quarter of the next financial year and will complete by 2014. These fuel-efficient aircraft will help us reduce costs of our long-haul operations," said an Air India official.
Mumbai-based TCR Engineering Services has become the first independent company in India to receive Nadcap accreditation for materials testing at its Navi Mumbai and Vadodara laboratories, a crucial step for Indian suppliers to enter the global aerospace supply chain.
Such a directive to 'temporarily cease operations' comes after the US Federal Aviation Authority conducted an investigation of an in-flight Boeing 787 battery incident in Japan on Wednesday, which posed a question on a potential battery fire risk in the 787.
A year after the Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crash in Ahmedabad that claimed hundreds of lives families continue to mourn while the crash site stands as a stark reminder of one of India's worst aviation disasters.
Boeing's 787 Dreamliner, a project which was marred by repeated delays and obstacles, is an instance of the most advanced aviation technology available. Its aerodynamic design, engines, flight controls and avionics are almost part of the aviation folklore.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has directed Air India to carry out additional maintenance actions on its Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 planes equipped with Genx engines with immediate effect.
A Cabinet decision is still awaited on the induction of Dreamliner into the cash-strapped AI fleet.
In a statement, the airline said it has completed precautionary re-inspections of the Fuel Control Switch (FCS) across all operational Boeing 787 aircraft in its fleet.
Air India's first refurbished Boeing 787-8 aircraft has landed in Delhi, marking a milestone in the airline's USD 400 million investment plan to upgrade its wide-body fleet. The aircraft features comprehensive interior upgrades, including new seats and in-flight entertainment systems.
The Supreme Court has been informed that the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's final draft report on the June 2025 Air India flight AI-171 crash in Ahmedabad will be submitted in October. The court is hearing petitions seeking an independent probe into the accident, which claimed 260 lives.
Natarajan Chandrasekaran, credited with stabilising Tata Sons after a boardroom coup and overseeing significant expansion, has announced his resignation as chairman, capping a nearly decade-long tenure marked by both successes and escalating tensions with the group's controlling charitable trusts.
Air India Group anticipates the delivery of 50-60 new aircraft within the next 18 months, with its ambitious transformation programme progressing despite global challenges like supply chain issues and geopolitical tensions, according to Chief Commercial Officer Nipun Aggarwal.
The senior official of Air India said that no adverse findings have been reported on the aircraft for which this re-inspection was completed, he said in the email sent to B787 pilots.
Air India's entire European operations are carried out with Boeing Dreamliner planes.
'Look at the number of flights the aircraft has done. Look at the number of airlines which are using it.'
The family of Irfan Sheikh, a cabin crew member who died in the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad last year, continues to recharge his mobile phone and send him WhatsApp messages as a way to cope with their enduring grief.
Viswashkumar Ramesh, the lone survivor of Flight 171 which crashed a year ago in Ahmedabad, has spoken out about his ongoing struggles with 'sleep, anxiety and difficult memories,' highlighting the profound and lasting impact of the disaster.
'...because that protects their aviation industry.' 'The Boeing 787 is one of the most widely-flown wide-body aircraft in the world, and Airbus is running neck-and-neck with Boeing.' 'Airbus is not going to let an opportunity like this pass.' 'If a software problem with the 787 is confirmed, they will use it to increase their own orders.'
Outgoing Air India CEO Campbell Wilson stated that the airline's foundations have been rebuilt over the last four years, but non-delivery of aircraft on schedule has significantly impacted growth and fleet modernisation. He also revealed he has no plans to take up another full-time executive position after stepping down.
Families of the AI-171 crash victims are demanding the release of black box data and cockpit voice recorder transcripts, questioning the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau's (AAIB) decision to withhold this crucial information while promising only a final probe report.
'We have been insisting that all Boeing 787 aircraft be grounded and checked for the electrical systems.'
Air India is upgrading its fleet of Boeing 787-8 aircraft, crucial for its long-haul operations, with retrofitting expected to be completed by early 2028. The airline has already received its first retrofitted plane, featuring a three-class configuration.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has issued an interim statement on the probe into the Air India AI171 plane crash that killed 260 people last year, confirming that the investigation is ongoing and the final report will be released after all processes are complete.
Air India grounded a Boeing 787-8 after a pilot reported a potential fuel control switch defect. The incident occurs amidst an ongoing investigation into the airline's Dreamliner crash last June.
Residents of Meghaninagar vividly remember the explosion that shook the neighbourhood on the afternoon of June 12, 2025. An Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner bound for London had crashed into the hostel blocks of B J Medical College. A massive fire broke out, sending clouds of smoke into the sky.
A year after the tragic Air India flight AI-171 crash in Ahmedabad claimed 260 lives, grieving families are still waiting for the final probe report, with investigators yet to release conclusive findings on the disaster's cause.
Boeing states that it is the company's most fuel-efficient airliner and the world's first major airliner to use composite materials for most of its construction.
One year after the devastating AI 171 plane crash in Ahmedabad, the profound grief and lasting trauma continue to haunt the victims' families and eyewitnesses, many of whom still struggle with a deep-seated fear of flying and the indelible scars of their loss.
The Boeing 787-8 aircraft -- VT-ANB -- was 11.5 years old and had flown for more than 41,000 hours, according to aviation analytics firm Cirium.
Will operate only after FAA and DGCA gives green light.
In a message to flyers, the Air India chief also said the 15 percent reduction in Air India's international wide-body fleet operations for the next few weeks is a temporary move.
Under the civil aviation ministry, AAIB is responsible for the classification of safety occurrences, involving aircraft operating in the Indian airspace into accidents and serious incidents.
