Air India CEO briefs PM Modi on remedial measures

A day after the tragic Dreamliner 787 crash in Ahmedabad, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson on Friday met Prime Minister Narendra Modi amid speculation that the Centre might ground the Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 fleet.

The speculation gathered steam after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) ordered Air India to carry out additional maintenance actions on the Boeing aircraft in the wake of the crash, in which more than 260 people were killed.

During his meeting with Modi, Wilson is learnt to have briefed him regarding the steps being taken by the airline in the aftermath of the mishap.

In a video statement issued earlier, Wilson had called the day of the crash “a difficult day for all of us at Air India” and said the airline’s efforts were “focused entirely on the needs of our passengers, crew members, their families and loved ones”.

The Air India flight, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, was carrying 230 passengers and 12 crew members when it crashed into a residential area shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport on Thursday afternoon.

“We are actively working with the authorities on all emergency response efforts. A special team of caregivers from Air India is on their way to Ahmedabad to provide additional support,” Wilson said. He added that Air India teams were “working around the clock” to support affected families and coordinate with investigators.