The Federation of Indian Pilots has urged Union Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu to immediately ground Air India’s entire Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet, citing serious safety concerns. In a letter accessed by Hindustan Times, the pilots’ body called for a thorough inspection of all Boeing 787 aircraft in India, particularly their electrical systems, following recent mid-air malfunctions.
The federation expressed alarm over repeated technical issues, referencing two recent incidents Air India flight AI-117 on October 4, when the Ram Air Turbine deployed unexpectedly during approach in Birmingham, and AI-154 on October 9, which suffered multiple system malfunctions and had to divert to Dubai en route from Vienna to Delhi.
The letter outlined three formal requests to the minister: to investigate both incidents comprehensively, to ground and inspect all Air India Boeing 787s for electrical and recurrent faults, and to initiate a special safety audit of Air India by senior officials from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
Meanwhile, Civil Aviation Minister K. Ram Mohan Naidu chaired a monthly review meeting with domestic airlines including Air India, IndiGo, Akasa Air, and Alliance Air focusing on operational safety and passenger experience. The minister directed airlines to strictly comply with safety standards and implement global best practices to enhance service quality and reliability, according to a Press Information Bureau release.
