Multiple Air India flights diverted amid safety concerns following Ahmedabad crash

In a troubling span of just 36 hours, four Air India flights experienced technical anomalies, sparking renewed concerns over the airline's operational reliability.

Among the most serious incidents, Flight AI180 from San Francisco to Mumbai developed a snag in its left engine during a scheduled refuelling stop in Kolkata on June 17.

The Boeing 777-200LR landed safely at 12:45 am IST, but five hours later, passengers were deplaned in the interest of flight safety. They were later accommodated in hotels or rebooked.

This episode followed a June 16 incident involving an Air India Express Boeing 737 MAX 8 en route from Delhi to Ranchi, which made a U-turn after takeoff due to a technical fault.

The aircraft safely returned to Delhi and resumed operations after inspection. That same day, another aircraft, AI315, a Dreamliner flying from Hong Kong to Delhi, returned to Hong Kong International Airport after a mid-air technical alarm prompted an emergency descent to 22,000 ft.

Also on June 16, a separate flight near Ranchi was aborted due to another technical fault, although specific details of that incident remain limited.

These consecutive failures come just days after the fatal AI-171 crash in Ahmedabad on June 12. In response, India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has intensified scrutiny of Air India’s Dreamliner fleet and mandated detailed inspections of multiple aircraft systems including fuel, engine control, and takeoff thrust parameters.

While the quick return and safe deplaning in each case reflect strict adherence to safety protocols, the frequency of faults in such a short period has raised questions about broader maintenance practices within the airline.

Regulatory authorities are expected to closely monitor Air India’s operational performance and may consider enforcing stricter maintenance checks across its fleet.

The frequency of these events, occurring soon after the tragic crash of Flight AI 171, has sparked concern about safety protocols.

Airlines report that all planes were grounded for inspections and resumed service only after passing thorough checks.

Aviation analysts note that while diversions signal strong safety vigilance, the recurrence raises questions about fleet-wide maintenance—particularly for Boeing 787 Dreamliners and 737 MAX aircraft.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is understood to be reviewing recent reports for systemic trends.