DGCA: No major safety concerns found in Air India’s Boeing 787 fleet after enhanced checks

NEW DELHI: India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), has completed a focused review of Air India’s Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet, amid rising concerns over recurring technical issues and increasing international flight volumes post Ahmedabad crash.In a meeting held with key executives from Air India and Air India Express, the DGCA reviewed the operational robustness of the carriers, with particular attention to the Boeing 787 aircraft, which form the backbone of Air India’s long-haul network.While recent weeks have seen a spate of long-haul cancellations and flight disruptions, many involving the Dreamliner, the DGCA clarified that enhanced surveillance checks conducted on the 787 fleet revealed no major safety concerns.“A total of 24 Boeing 787 aircraft underwent required safety inspections. All were found compliant with existing aviation safety standards,” the regulator said in a statement.However, the DGCA flagged maintenance-related issues, particularly around the availability of spare parts and internal coordination between engineering, ground handling, and operations teams. The regulator advised Air India to strengthen these areas to minimise flight delays and improve reliability.

Despite confirming the fleet’s airworthiness, the DGCA’s review underscores the growing pressure on Air India to scale up international operations without compromising operational consistency.The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is central to Air India’s global ambitions, operating on key routes to Europe, North America, and Southeast Asia. As flight volumes surge post-Covid, ensuring the aircraft remain operationally sound is critical to the airline's turnaround strategy under the Tata Group.Air India has not yet issued a statement following the DGCA's advisory.