Air India Warns of Flight Delays as Mandatory Safety Checks on Boeing 787s Begin

Air India on Saturday warned that some of its flights, particularly on long-haul international routes, may face delays in the coming days as it carries out mandatory, one-time safety checks on its entire fleet of Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft.

The airline is in the process of completing the comprehensive inspections directed by India’s aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). These checks are being conducted as the aircraft return to India from international destinations and must be completed before they are cleared for their next operations.

The enhanced safety protocol was ordered by the DGCA as a precautionary measure following the tragic crash of an Air India 787 Dreamliner in Ahmedabad on Thursday. The Ahmedabad-London flight went down moments after takeoff, killing at least 265 people in what was the first fatal accident involving a 787 since its commercial debut in 2011.

In a statement, Air India said it has already completed the required checks on nine of its Dreamliner aircraft and is “on track to complete this process for the remaining 24 aircraft within the timeline provided by the regulator.” The airline acknowledged that “some of these checks could lead to higher turnaround time and potential delays on certain long-haul routes,” especially to airports with night operating curfews. The airline has advised passengers to check their flight status and said it is offering refunds or complimentary rescheduling to those affected.

The DGCA’s directive mandates a comprehensive review of the Dreamliners equipped with GenX engines. The one-time checks include detailed inspections of the fuel parameter monitoring systems, cabin air compressors, electronic engine controls, and hydraulic systems.

In its order, the regulator also highlighted the issue of “repetitive snags on the Boeing Dreamliner flights during the last 15 days,” and directed that all maintenance actions related to these must be reviewed and closed at the earliest. In addition to the one-time checks, the DGCA has also mandated the introduction of a new “Flight Control Inspection” during transit checks and for power assurance checks to be carried out within two weeks.