Air India crash: Airline says one engine on plane was new as damaged black box to be sent to US for analysis

Air India has cancelled or delayed multiple international flights operated by Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners following last week’s deadly crash that killed more than 270 people.

Several international routes – among them London, Paris, Vienna, and Dubai – were disrupted on Tuesday as Air India halted operations on multiple flights.

The airline attributed the interruptions to a mix of factors: grounded aircraft, technical issues, restricted airspace, and heightened safety protocols.

In the past two days alone, at least three more Dreamliner flights have either been delayed or taken out of service amid intensified inspections mandated by India’s aviation authority, which is scrutinising all 33 of Air India’s Dreamliners.

A Boeing 777 on the San Francisco–Mumbai route was also sidelined due to a mechanical fault.

India's aviation regulator, the DGCA, has requested detailed training records for the pilots and dispatcher of the Air India Dreamliner that crashed last week, killing more than 270 people.

The move is part of a broader investigation into the tragedy, led by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).

The DGCA also asked flying schools nationwide to carry out compliance checks on safety procedures, training, and coordination, and told airports to hold full-scale emergency drills by 30 June, according to Reuters, which cited a confidential memo seen by them.

While no specific concerns have been raised about Air India's operations yet, the requests are standard post-crash procedures.

India’s aviation regulator, the DGCA, found no major safety flaws in Air India’s Dreamliner fleet after inspecting 24 aircraft, offering some relief amid post-crash scrutiny.

However, it flagged ongoing issues with spare-part delays and poor coordination between departments, warning these could affect reliability.

Despite the concerns, all inspected planes met current safety standards.

Following the crash, India’s civil aviation minister had ordered extended inspections of all 33 Boeing 787s in the Indian fleet.

Since the fatal 12 June crash of an Air India Boeing 787 in Ahmedabad, the DGCA reported that Air India has cancelled 66 Dreamliner flights.

While inspections found no major safety issues with the 787 fleet, the regulator flagged maintenance concerns and urged better coordination across departments.

Most flight cancellations followed intensified inspections after the Ahmedabad crash, The Hindustan Times reported.

The DGCA is continuing its review of Air India and Air India Express operations in the wake of the tragedy.

In a 13 June memo titled “Updating Airport Emergency Plan” and reviewed by Reuters, India’s aviation authorities instructed all government-managed airports to conduct a full-scale emergency training exercise on 30 June.

These drills, which simulate crisis scenarios such as crashes or large-scale evacuations, are a standard component of airport preparedness and safety protocols.

The directive came in the wake of the deadly Air India crash on 12 June in Ahmedabad, which claimed 241 lives onboard and killed several more on the ground.

India’s aviation regulator, the DGCA, has requested detailed training records for the pilots and dispatcher of the Air India Dreamliner that crashed last week, killing more than 270 people.

The move is part of a broader investigation into the tragedy, led by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).

The DGCA also asked flying schools nationwide to carry out compliance checks on safety procedures, training, and coordination, and told airports to hold full-scale emergency drills by 30 June, according to Reuters, which cited a confidential memo seen by them.

While no specific concerns have been raised about Air India's operations yet, the requests are standard post-crash procedures.

India’s aviation ministry confirmed that the Air India Boeing 787-8 that crashed on 12 June had completed two earlier flights, Paris to Delhi and Delhi to Ahmedabad, without issues before crashing shortly after takeoff en route to London, killing 241 of 242 on board and dozens on the ground.

The Indian aviation regulator said on Tuesday that Air India’s Dreamliner have no major safety flaws but flagged maintenance and coordination issues.

Aviation regulator said on Tuesday that since last week’s devastating crash, 66 Air India Dreamliner flights have been cancelled, including several international flights as well.

The heartbreaking crash of Air India flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick has shocked many and raised serious questions about aviation safety, but are fears justified?

Join The Independent’s travel correspondent Simon Calder for a live Q&A at 1pm BST on the risks, regulations and realities of flying in 2025 – from the air safety to Boeing and what passengers need to know.

Submit your questions or follow the conversation here.