Air India Denies Grounding 11 Boeing 787-8 Aircraft, Cites Scheduled Maintenance

Last Updated:July 03, 2026, 20:14 IST

The airline further said one Dreamliner is scheduled to fly back to India.

Air India on Friday dismissed reports claiming that 11 of its 26 Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft have been grounded, calling the information “factually inaccurate."

In a post on X, the airline issued a “Fake News Alert" and clarified that the aircraft cited in the reports are unavailable for routine operational reasons such as scheduled maintenance, cabin upgrades and ferry operations, and should not be described as grounded.

“Claims that 11 of Air India’s 26 Boeing 787-8 aircraft are grounded are factually inaccurate," Air India Newsroom tweeted.

Aircraft Undergoing Upgrades, Routine Checks

Air India explained that three Boeing 787-8 aircraft are currently undergoing retrofit work to receive refreshed cabin interiors and other customer experience upgrades. Four aircraft are undergoing scheduled heavy maintenance, including C-checks and D-checks, while one aircraft is in regular line maintenance.

The airline further said one Dreamliner is scheduled to fly back to India, and the remaining two aircraft mentioned in the reports are already in service.

“Planned maintenance or upgrades are not the same as ‘grounded aircraft’," Air India said, urging the public to rely only on its official communication channels for accurate information. The clarification from the airline comes after claims on X suggested that multiple Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners were grounded.

Earlier on June 11, the airline outlined a series of measures aimed at strengthening operational resilience and said it had gone “beyond regulatory compliance" in its risk-based audit planning, following the AI171 crash.

“Air India has taken a series of proactive measures following the AI171 accident to further strengthen operational resilience and organisational effectiveness. These initiatives are not related to safety or airworthiness, but are focused on enhancing fleet reliability, improving operational consistency, and reinforcing mental health and human performance frameworks for its people," the airline said.

The measures were announced after an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner operating as AI171 from Ahmedabad to London crashed seconds after take-off on June 12, killing 260 people.

About the Author

Manisha Roy

Manisha Roy is a Senior Sub-Editor at News18.com's general desk. She comes with an experience of over 5 years in media industry. She covers politics and other hard news. She can be contacted at Manish...Read More

News india Air India Denies Grounding 11 Boeing 787-8 Aircraft, Cites Scheduled Maintenance

Read More