DGCA pulls up Air India over grounded Dreamliners and flight disruptions

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) held a high-level meeting with Air India and Air India Express on June 17 following a disturbing pattern of cancellations—13 Dreamliner flights were grounded on June 16 alone, as part of precautionary inspections ordered after the June 12 crash of Flight AI 171 near Ahmedabad.

Between June 12 and June 17, Air India cancelled a total of 83 wide‑body flights, of which 66 involved Boeing 787s, highlighting the scale of disruptions impacting long-haul schedules.

On June 17 alone, nine major long-haul flights—including Delhi–Paris, Ahmedabad–London, and Delhi–Dubai—were grounded due to aircraft unavailability, airspace restrictions, and ongoing safety checks.

The DGCA clarified that 24 of the 33 Dreamliners have now successfully passed enhanced safety inspections, which included reviews of fuel systems, hydraulics, engines, flight controls, and pre-flight parameters. The remaining nine aircraft are either undergoing checks or are AOG (aircraft on ground) awaiting maintenance.

While officials have not identified any major safety flaws in the fleet, they emphasized the need for better coordination between engineering, operations, and ground staff, adequate spare parts inventory, real-time defect reporting, and improved communication with passengers during disruptions.

A notable incident in this wave of disruptions involved Flight AI 180, a Boeing 777‑200LR en route from San Francisco to Mumbai. The flight landed in Kolkata due to a left-engine snag; passengers were deplaned before continuing safely to Hyderabad.

In the wake of the Ahmedabad tragedy—which claimed 274 lives, making it the first fatal crash of a Dreamliner—the DGCA has increased oversight of Air India’s operations. However, the frequent cancellations have strained the airline’s schedule and raised concerns about public confidence in post-crash safety protocols.

Air India continues to face heightened regulatory scrutiny and pressure to resolve technical issues swiftly. Aviation analysts warn that until the entire 787 fleet is inspected and cleared, disruptions are likely to continue, particularly on long-haul international routes.