Air India is under intense scrutiny following a series of flight disruptions in the wake of the tragic June 12 crash of a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. The London-bound flight from Ahmedabad went down shortly after take-off, killing 241 of the 242 people on board. Only one passenger survived the devastating accident, which has triggered joint investigations by India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and authorities from the UK and the US. A full inspection of Air India’s Boeing 787 fleet is now underway.
In the days since the crash, several Air India flights have faced technical issues, emergency returns, and operational delays:
Flight AI315 (Hong Kong to Delhi)
On June 16, a Boeing 787-8 operating this route returned to Hong Kong shortly after take-off due to a technical issue. The aircraft, which had reached an altitude of 22,000 feet, landed safely back at Hong Kong International Airport. Passengers were rebooked on alternative flights.
Flight AI2493 (Mumbai to Ahmedabad)
This Airbus A321-211 was grounded in Mumbai and later cancelled after the crew exceeded their legally mandated Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL), following an initial delay due to operational issues.
Flight AI180 (San Francisco to Kolkata to Mumbai)
A Boeing 777-200LR landed in Kolkata for a layover when a technical fault was detected in the left engine. Passengers were deplaned as a precaution, and maintenance crews conducted detailed inspections.
Air India Express Delhi to Ranchi
A Boeing 737 Max 8 was forced to return to Delhi soon after departure due to a suspected technical problem. The plane was later cleared and resumed service.
Flight AI379 (Phuket to New Delhi)
On June 14, this flight returned to Phuket for an emergency landing after a bomb threat was discovered in a lavatory shortly after take-off. All 156 passengers were safely evacuated.
Flight AI143 (Delhi to Paris)
Scheduled for June 17, this flight was cancelled after pre-flight checks flagged mechanical issues requiring further examination.
Other aviation-related incidents were also reported, including turbulence on an IndiGo Goa-Lucknow flight, a British F-35 fighter jet making an emergency landing in Kerala due to low fuel, and a Lufthansa flight from Frankfurt to Hyderabad returning mid-air after a bomb threat.
These successive issues have raised concerns over Air India’s safety protocols and maintenance procedures as the airline faces growing international oversight in the wake of the fatal crash.
