Pilots’ body seeks grounding of all Boeing 787s after Air India flight malfunctions

According to the FIP, Flight AI-154, operating from Vienna to Delhi on October 9, was diverted to Dubai after experiencing failures across several systems, including the autopilot and flight control, and an uncommanded deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT).

Similarly, on October 4, Flight AI-117 from Delhi to Birmingham also saw a RAT deployment during its final approach.

The pilots’ association described these as “serious indicators of poor serviceability at Air India” and partly attributed them to a “lack of experienced maintenance staff” following the replacement of engineers from the government-run AIESL with newly hired personnel.

Air India, however, rejected claims of systemic failures, clarifying that the Vienna-Delhi flight was diverted “due to a technical issue” but landed safely in Dubai, where passengers were accommodated and later flown to Delhi on the same aircraft without further issues.

“The safety of our passengers and crew remains our top priority,” an Air India spokesperson said.

Regarding AI-117, the airline confirmed the RAT deployment but said all electrical and hydraulic systems remained normal. “The RAT deployment was uncommanded, consistent with similar events reported by Boeing on other airlines,” the statement read.

The airline said it had informed the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and submitted a preliminary report. The aircraft has since been cleared to resume operations.

The FIP’s letter to Civil Aviation Minister Rammohan Naidu also referenced the June 12 AI-171 crash, which killed 260 people after a London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner from Ahmedabad failed to generate thrust and crashed moments after takeoff.

“The safety of air travel is being compromised by the failure to investigate recurring malfunctions on Boeing 787 aircraft in India,” the pilots’ union warned.