DELHI- Tata Group-owned Air India (AI) cancelled 5 international flights on Tuesday (June 17, 2025) as aviation authorities intensified scrutiny of Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft following last week’s devastating crash in Ahmedabad.
The carrier grounded all affected services utilising the Dreamliner model, citing increased safety precautions and regulatory compliance measures.
Air India 787 Flight Cancellations
The cancelled services included AI 915 from Delhi (DEL) to Dubai (DXB), AI 153 from Delhi (DEL) to Vienna (VIE), AI 143 from Delhi (DEL) to Paris (CDG), AI 159 from Ahmedabad (AMD) to London (LGW), and AI 170 from London (LGW) to Amritsar (ATQ).
Air India (AI) attributed the AI 143 cancellation to technical issues discovered during pre-flight checks that would have violated night-time operational restrictions at Paris Charles de Gaulle airport (CDG).
The airline specifically cited aircraft unavailability and airspace restrictions for cancelling the Ahmedabad-London Gatwick service, emphasising that the designated Dreamliner had no technical problems.
Additionally, a Hong Kong-based Dreamliner operating flight AI 315 to Delhi experienced technical difficulties, forcing the pilot to return to Hong Kong (HKG).
Multiple Aircraft Incidents
The operational disruptions extended beyond Air India’s fleet. A San Francisco-Mumbai flight encountered technical problems during a scheduled stop in Kolkata (CCU), prompting passenger evacuation.
International carriers also faced similar challenges, with Lufthansa (LH) and British Airways (BA) Dreamliners returning to Frankfurt (FRA) and London, respectively, after experiencing issues en route to Hyderabad and Chennai.
Ahmedabad Crash
The heightened safety measures follow the catastrophic crash of Air India flight AI 171 on June 12. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner departed Ahmedabad (AMD) bound for London Gatwick (LGW) but crashed approximately 40 seconds after takeoff.
Video footage captured the aircraft struggling to gain altitude before plummeting into a college hostel two kilometres from the airport.
The impact killed 241 of 242 passengers and crew members, with only one British-Indian passenger in seat 11A surviving. Ground casualties totalled 33 fatalities, marking the incident as one of India’s deadliest aviation disasters.
Air India (AI) permanently retired flight number 171 to honour the victims.
Investigation Progress
Aviation investigators recovered both voice and flight data recorders from the wreckage. Preliminary video analysis revealed the deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT), which activates only during dual-engine failure or complete electronic and hydraulic system breakdowns.
However, investigators have not determined the underlying cause of these critical system failures.
Regulatory Response
The DGCA mandated comprehensive maintenance inspections for all Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 aircraft equipped with GEnx engines. The directive requires assessments of takeoff parameters, electronic engine control systems, and fuel-related components.
Air India (AI) operates 33 Boeing 787 aircraft, while competitor IndiGo (6E) maintains one Dreamliner in its fleet. Aviation experts anticipate the investigation will require several months to reach definitive conclusions about the crash’s cause.
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