6 Dreamliners among 7 Air India flights cancelled amid tough post-crash checks

On Tuesday, seven Air India international flights were cancelled for different reasons, such as technical issues and lack of available aircraft. Six of the cancelled flights were set to be operated by Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners, the same aircraft type involved in the Ahmedabad crash that took the lives of more than 270 individuals.

For the Delhi-Paris route, Air India stated that the cancellation stemmed from pre-flight inspections uncovering a technical problem, whereas the disruption on the Ahmedabad-London route was caused by a lack of available aircraft.The reasons for the other cancellations were not immediately clear, but they were displayed on Air India’s website.

After the accident involving 12 AI 171 on June 12, Air India has increased safety inspections for its flights, particularly for its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. These inspections probably burdened the airline’s flight timetable, resulting in these cancellations. The Air India flight AI 159 from Ahmedabad to London, the initial one after the fatal crash last week, was set to depart at 1:10 pm on Tuesday.

The flight was renumbered to AI 159 after Air India retired AI 171 due to the tragic crash that resulted in the deaths of more than 270 individuals. Likewise, the Air India flight from Indira Gandhi International airport in Delhi to Charles de Gaulle (CDG) airport in Paris was cancelled on Tuesday after the plane encountered a problem during pre-flight inspections. The airline is currently working on resolving the issue.

An Air India flight AI 180, traveling from San Francisco to Mumbai with a stop in Kolkata, experienced a technical issue in one of its engines, requiring passengers to disembark during the planned stop in West Bengal’s capital early on Tuesday.

Flight AI180, a Boeing 777-200LR, arrived in Kolkata at 12:45 am and was set to leave for Mumbai at 2 am. Nevertheless, while at its planned stop, an issue was found in the left engine of the aircraft, postponing its further travel. At approximately 5:20 am, an announcement was issued on the aircraft requesting all passengers to exit.

In the meantime, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has requested an urgent meeting with representatives from Air India and Air India Express. The meeting is anticipated to be chaired by the DGCA Director General. This follows recent events concerning Air India flights, such as the Ahmedabad crash and problems with Dreamliner planes. The meeting’s agenda remains uncertain, but it could cover the recent cancellations, diversions, and delays in flights reported by Air India.