New Delhi: In the wake of the tragic Air India Dreamliner crash in Ahmedabad on June 12, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has intensified oversight of the airline’s Boeing 787 fleet. The crash, which resulted in the deaths of 241 people onboard and 29 on the ground, marked the first-ever fatal accident involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner globally, resulting in what is known as a “hull loss”—complete destruction of the aircraft.
Since the incident, a total of 66 Dreamliner flights have been cancelled within just six days. The cancellations are part of a larger effort to conduct thorough safety reviews and ensure all aircraft meet required operational standards. On Tuesday, the DGCA held a high-level meeting with senior officials of Air India Ltd. and Air India Express—two airlines that together operate more than 1,000 flights daily across domestic and international routes.
During the meeting, the DGCA reviewed operational and maintenance data for Air India’s Boeing 787 fleet, which comprises 33 aircraft. While no major safety violations were found, the DGCA raised concerns about certain recent maintenance-related issues. The regulator advised Air India to improve internal coordination between its engineering, operations, and ground handling departments and to ensure the availability of spare parts to prevent flight disruptions. The aviation authority also stressed the importance of strict compliance with safety regulations.
The Boeing 787-8 aircraft involved in the crash, registered as VT-ANB, had been in service for over 11 years and had logged more than 41,000 flight hours. According to aviation analytics firm Cirium, this is the first time a Dreamliner has suffered a fatal crash since the aircraft began operations 14 years ago. Currently, more than 1,100 Dreamliner aircraft are in service worldwide, with an average age of 7.5 years.
Air India operates 34 Dreamliners, including 27 older 787-8 models and seven newer 787-9 variants that were integrated into the fleet after Vistara merged with Air India. The airline plans to begin retrofitting its older Dreamliners starting July to modernize its long-haul fleet. Besides Air India, IndiGo is the only other Indian carrier operating Boeing 787s.
While the recent crash has not led to a grounding of the Dreamliner fleet, the incident has placed a spotlight on safety practices, aircraft maintenance, and regulatory vigilance. As the DGCA ramps up inspections and oversight, the aviation industry in India—and globally—will be closely watching how this tragedy reshapes safety protocols and fleet management strategies moving forward.
