NEW DELHI – Air India is reducing its international operations by 15 percent, particularly services using wide-body aircraft, following the deadly Boeing 787 crash last week and escalating tensions in the Middle East linked to the ongoing Israel-Iran conflict, the airline said on June 19.
The nation’s flag carrier announced that the reductions will be implemented gradually until June 20 and are expected to remain in place until at least mid-July. The airline also revealed it will conduct one-time safety inspections of its entire Boeing 777 fleet as a precautionary step.
In a press release, Air India attributed the decision to a combination of geopolitical instability, nighttime airspace curfews in parts of Europe and East Asia, and the airline’s ongoing internal inspections of its Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet, prompted by the June 18 crash.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has already cleared 26 out of the airline’s 33 Boeing 787s after thorough inspections. The remaining aircraft are expected to be cleared for service in the coming days.
“The curtailments are a painful measure to take, but are necessary following a devastating event we are still working through, along with an unusual combination of external factors,” Air India said in its statement.
The fatal incident involving Air India Flight AI171 has shaken the aviation industry. The flight failed to gain altitude after takeoff from Ahmedabad, plunging into a densely populated neighborhood and killing 241 of the 242 people on board, as well as dozens more on the ground. It is now regarded as the worst civil aviation disaster in more than a decade.
According to Bloomberg, search teams have recovered the second flight data recorder from the crash site. The first black box was located a day after the crash. Air India Chairman N. Chandrasekaran told a local television channel that Flight AI171 had a clean operational record.
“There are speculations about human error, about the airline, engines, and maintenance. But this particular aircraft, AI171, has a clean history,” he said.
He confirmed that both engines had no reported issues. The right engine was installed in March 2024, while the left engine was last serviced in 2023, with the next check scheduled for December.
Chandrasekaran also shared that a preliminary crash investigation report is expected within 30 days. He acknowledged the widespread frustration caused by the lack of immediate answers and said the airline has established a strategic communications team to better manage updates and transparency.
“We’ve got to do a better job at communication,” he admitted.