Air India cancels six Dreamliner flights amid safety concerns after crash

In the wake of the tragic crash of AI-171—a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner that exploded into flames moments after take-off from Ahmedabad—Air India has cancelled six international Dreamliner services on Tuesday. The cancellations, involving the same aircraft model, come amid heightened scrutiny of Boeing's flagship 787 series.

The affected routes include AI 915 (Delhi-Dubai), AI 153 (Delhi-Vienna), AI 143 (Delhi-Paris), AI 159 (Ahmedabad-London), AI 133 (Bengaluru-London), and AI 170 (London-Amritsar). In addition, a Dreamliner operating AI 315 from Hong Kong to Delhi returned mid-air due to a technical issue, while a San Francisco-Mumbai Boeing flight faced a snag during a halt in Kolkata.

Air India stated that Tuesday’s Ahmedabad-London Gatwick flight was cancelled due to aircraft unavailability caused by airspace restrictions and precautionary checks. Denying reports of a technical fault, the airline emphasized the decision was preventive.

AI 143, bound for Paris, was grounded after an issue surfaced during pre-flight checks. “The flight is subject to restrictions on night operations at Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport,” an Air India spokesperson explained. “We regret the inconvenience caused to our passengers and are making alternative arrangements to fly them to their destination at the earliest. We are providing hotel accommodation and also offering full refunds on cancellations or complimentary rescheduling if opted by the passengers.”

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has since ordered detailed inspections of Dreamliners with GEn-x engines. With investigations into the AI-171 crash still ongoing, concerns around Dreamliner reliability continue to grow.