 "DGCA reviews Air India operations, says Boeing 787 surveillance did not find major safety concern")
Aviation watchdog DGCA on Tuesday said surveillance of Air India’s Boeing 787 fleet did not reveal any major safety concerns in the wake of the fatal plane crash in Ahmedabad last week.
Amid mounting safety concerns and the cancellation of at least 66 flights that were to be operated with Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, DGCA officials held a detailed review meeting with top Air India and Air India Express executives.
At the review meeting, the DGCA flagged concerns regarding recent maintenance-related issues reported at Air India.
On June 13, a day after the B787-8 crash that killed 241 people on board, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation ordered enhanced surveillance of Air India’s Boeing 787 fleet, comprising 26 787-8 and seven 787-9.
“The recent surveillance conducted on Air India’s Boeing 787 fleet did not reveal any major safety concerns. The aircraft and associated maintenance systems were found to be compliant with existing safety standards,” DGCA said in a statement.
As many as 66 flights that were to be operated with B787 aircraft were cancelled from June 12 to June 17. During this period, the airline operated 248 flights with B787.
To address the maintenance-related issues, DGCA has issued certain directions to the Tata Group-owned airlines.
“The airline was advised to strengthen internal coordination across engineering, operations, ground handling units and ensure availability of adequate spares to mitigate passenger delays resulting from such issues and strictly adhere to regulations,” the statement.
Impact Shorts
More ShortsAir India and Air India Express operate over 1,000 flights daily.
The regulator has recommended the implementation of a more systematic and real-time defect reporting mechanism to ensure that operational and safety-critical departments receive timely updates. This is expected to enhance overall decision-making and reduce downstream disruptions.
The meeting was convened to review the operational robustness of the airlines and ensure continued compliance with safety and passenger service regulations.
Meanwhile, the Iranian airspace closure has disrupted flight operations by Indian carriers to European and Gulf countries.
“The impact of recent airspace closures, particularly over Iranian airspace, was reviewed. The closures have led to flight diversions, delays, and cancellations.
“The operators have been asked to ensure timely communication with passengers and crew and adopt alternate routing strategies to minimize disruptions,” the statement said.
The DGCA also said that passengers should be informed well in advance regarding delays and cancellations.
“Emphasis was placed on effective passenger facilitation and timely dissemination of information through all available channels,” it added.
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