{"id":101496,"date":"2025-06-28T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-28T04:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/?p=101496"},"modified":"2025-06-28T05:05:57","modified_gmt":"2025-06-27T23:35:57","slug":"air-india-fired-two-crew-for-flagging-issue-in-787","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/aviationa2z.com\/index.php\/2025\/06\/28\/air-india-fired-two-crew-for-flagging-issue-in-787\/","title":{"rendered":"Air India Fired Two Cabin Crew For Flagging Issue in Boeing 787"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

DELHI\u2014<\/strong> Two former senior cabin crew of Air India (AI)<\/a> claim they were dismissed after reporting a Boeing 787 technical issue a year before the June 12 crash in Ahmedabad (AMD)<\/strong> that killed 241 of 242 onboard.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi<\/strong>, the whistleblowers allege that a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner (VT-ANQ)<\/strong> suffered a slide deployment malfunction at London Heathrow (LHR)<\/strong> in 2024, which they say was suppressed by both Air India and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), TOI<\/a> reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Air
Representative Photo: Air India 787-8 economy class | source\/credit: Air India Thi\u2026 | Flickr (Disclaimer: Crew shown In the image are not the actual ones who were fired)<\/strong><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Air India Fired Crew<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

According to the letter, the incident occurred on May 14, 2024<\/strong>, after Flight AI129<\/strong>, operating from Mumbai (BOM) to London Heathrow (LHR)<\/a>, had completed passenger disembarkation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The two cabin crew members assigned to Door L4<\/strong> state that the aircraft door was verified to be in manual mode<\/strong>, yet the emergency slide raft deployed<\/strong> \u2014 an action that should only occur when a door is armed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The letter claims this malfunction was documented by the pilot and cabin-in-charge at the time. However, the whistleblowers allege they were later pressured to alter their statements. When they refused, they say they were terminated from service<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The pilot allegedly retracted his initial corroboration by claiming he did not witness the door opening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The crew members also allege that Air India management and the DGCA<\/strong> failed to launch a formal investigation, instead conducting an “informal inquiry”<\/strong> and withholding the final report. According to their letter, other incidents involving Dreamliners were similarly ignored, and critical witnesses were excluded from the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"Air
Photo: Dnata<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Air India\u2019s Response to Whistleblower Claims<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Air India<\/strong>, now owned by the Tata Group<\/strong>, refuted the allegations. In an official statement, the airline said the two former employees were terminated for misconduct and continued misinformation<\/strong> during the investigation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The airline’s internal findings, supported by data, images, and third-party reviews, concluded that the emergency slide could not have deployed unless the door was armed<\/strong> \u2014 contradicting the crew\u2019s claims.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The airline emphasized that the crew had been given multiple opportunities<\/strong> to revise their statements, which it suggested may have initially been submitted in error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Broader Safety Concerns<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

In light of the Ahmedabad crash, Air India\u2019s CEO Campbell Wilson<\/strong> issued a detailed update on the condition and inspection of its Boeing 787-8 fleet<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wilson noted that the crashed aircraft had undergone its last major check in June 2023, with the next scheduled for December 2025<\/strong>. Both engines were recently serviced \u2014 the right in March 2025<\/strong>, and the left in April 2025<\/strong> \u2014 and showed no operational issues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Following the crash, the DGCA ordered enhanced surveillance<\/strong> of the airline’s 33 Boeing 787 aircraft<\/strong>, including 26 787-8s and 7 787-9s<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

As of now, 26 aircraft have cleared safety checks<\/strong>, and the remaining units are undergoing planned maintenance<\/strong> with additional inspections before re-entry into service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The DGCA confirmed that Air India’s 787 fleet and maintenance procedures “fully meet safety standards”<\/strong>, although the regulator also urged the airline to improve internal departmental coordination.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Photo: By Kambui – Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner VT-ANM, CC BY 2.0, https:\/\/commons.wikimedia.org\/w\/index.php?curid=58290529<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Continuing Scrutiny<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The whistleblowers, both with over 20 years of service<\/strong>, have submitted a formal complaint to the Central Vigilance Commission<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

They claim the Ahmedabad crash<\/strong> may have been preventable had earlier issues been properly investigated.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With mounting public scrutiny, calls for an independent probe into both the technical issues<\/strong> and whistleblower treatment<\/strong> are growing. While Air India asserts procedural compliance, questions remain over transparency<\/strong>, internal culture<\/strong>, and regulatory oversight<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Air India 787 Crash Black Box Decoding Underway in Delhi<\/a><\/blockquote>