International flights operated by Air India to decrease by 15% as a consequence of enhanced security measures
🤔 So, here's the scoop on Air India's current situation. Yesterday, June 18, they decided to slash their international flights utilizing wide-body planes by a whopping 15% for the upcoming weeks. The reason behind this move? Good ol' fashioned safety inspections, plus a bit of chaos left in the wake of last week's aviation mess.
That unfortunate aviation mess happened on June 12 when a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operated by Air India took a nose dive in western India. Yep, you guessed it, that plane ended up in a medical college hostel just after takeoff. Sadly, reports indicate that at least 271 casualties occurred. Experts are speculating that the possible culprit could be both engines croaking like an old porcupine. However, Air India claims that, based on their data, the engine on the doomed plane was just dandy.
In the aftermath of this tragedy, India's Ministry of Civil Aviation made a bold move by calling for inspections of all Boeing 787 aircraft used by local airlines. Out of the 34 such aircraft under Indian carriers, 33 are under Air India's wing. Air India also declared their intention to examine Boeing 777 aircraft as well.
Yana Rozhdestvenskaya
Now, let's delve deeper into this situation. Air India's temporary 15% reduction in wide-body flights is just one part of a larger, cautious response to ensure every Boeing 787 aircraft in their fleet is a-ok following the June 12 disaster. They're followingorders from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) to beef up surveillance on the Boeing 787 fleet. So far, inspections have been completed on 26 aircraft that have been given the green light for service. The rest are getting some TLC with maintenance work and added checks before being cleared to take flight again.
Air India's CEO, Campbell Wilson, made it clear that the doomed aircraft had a clean slate in terms of maintenance, with its last major checkup in June 2023 and engines recently getting a once-over in 2025. The DGCA concurs that Air India's Boeing 787 fleet and maintenance processes meet safety standards, despite raising concerns over some maintenance coordination issues unrelated to the crash.
In a nutshell, the 15% reduction in wide-body flights is a proactive operational move by Air India to guarantee that every Boeing 787 aircraft in their fleet passes with flying colors following the disastrous 787-8 crash, all while adhering to regulatory standards and keeping passenger safety top of mind.
[1] Source: https://www.reuters.com/world/india/air-india-stops-using-some-boeing-787-dreamliners-inspect-others-after-fatal-crash-2023-06-13[2] Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-62925301
- Given the current situation after the tragic incident involving a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, Air India is reducing their international flights utilizing wide-body planes by 15% temporarily, as part of a wider, cautious response to ensure the safety of their Boeing 787 fleet.
- As the industry and finance sectors closely observe Air India's actions following the plane crash, the airline is also conducting thorough inspections on their Boeing 777 aircraft in addition to their Boeing 787 fleet, demonstrating a commitment to maintaining high standards in the aerospace industry.
