Air India plane crash: Will Boeing 787 Dreamliner be grounded in India?

Indian government is considering whether it should ground Boeing 787 in the country during investigations. This comes as India's aviation regulator has directed Air India to carry out safety inspections on its Boeing 787-8/9 fleet after a crash in Ahmedabad killed more than 240 people, Reuters reported on Friday. The London-bound Air India flight ploughed into a residential area of Indian city of Ahmedabad shortly after takeoff on Thursday, killing at least 265 people on board and on the ground. 787 Dreamliner is considered Boeing's flagship long-distance aircraft.

There are 26 Boeing 787-8s and 7 Boeing 787-9s in the fleet of Air India owned by Tata Group.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has directed Air India to carry out additional maintenance actions on its Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 planes that are equipped with Genx engines with immediate effect. These actions will be carried out in coordination with the DGCA regional offices concerned, as per a PTI report.


Meanwhile, Boeing chief executive Kelly Ortberg has cancelled his trip to next week's Paris Air Show, a major aviation industry event, to focus on the investigation into the Air India Dreamliner crash, AFP reported.

The crash has put the spotlight back on Boeing, which had been making progress under new leadership following concerns over safety and quality of planes made by the US aircraft maker.

Boeing is also supporting the probe by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, which is leading the probe, he said. "Safety is foundational to our industry and is at the core of everything that we do. Our technical experts are prepared to assist investigators to understand the circumstances, and a Boeing team stands ready to travel to India," he said.

The Paris Air Show at Le Bourget Airport opens on Monday. "As our industry prepares to start the Paris Air Show, Stephanie and I have both cancelled plans to attend so we can be with our team, and focus on our customer and the investigation," Ortberg said.

FAQs

Q1. What is Boeing 787 Dreamliner?
A1. 787 Dreamliner is considered Boeing's flagship long-distance aircraft.

Q2. How many Boeing 787s do Air India has?
A2. There are 26 Boeing 787-8s and 7 Boeing 787-9s in the fleet of Air India owned by Tata Group.