Plane crash sparks scrutiny of Boeing 787s, Air India inspects 9 jets

Air India on Saturday said it had completed one-time safety checks on nine of its Boeing 787 Dreamliners and was working to inspect the remaining 24 aircraft as per regulatory directives. The move follows the DGCA’s mandate for all locally operated Boeing 787s to undergo inspections.

“Air India has completed checks on nine Boeing 787 aircraft and is on track to finish the remaining 24 within the regulator’s stipulated timeline,” the airline said, adding, “Some of these checks could lead to higher turnaround time and potential delays on certain long-haul routes.” The carrier currently operates a fleet of 26 Boeing 787-8s and seven Boeing 787-9s.

Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu stated, “We have ordered extended surveillance of these planes. There are 34 such aircraft in India’s fleet.” While Air India operates 33 Boeing 787s, rival airline IndiGo has one in its inventory.