Air India hit by series of technical glitches, flights cancelled, DGCA summons engineering head

Air India is under fresh scrutiny after multiple technical glitches led to abrupt flight cancellations and diversions, sparking passenger concerns and regulatory intervention.

An Ahmedabad-to-London Air India flight, operated on a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, was cancelled due to a hydraulic leak. This comes shortly after another Dreamliner flight—AI 143 from Delhi to Paris—was grounded over a technical fault.

Also read: ‘No AC, No help, No clarity’: Passengers suffer 5-hour ordeal on Air India Dubai-Jaipur flight

Adding to the woes, a San Francisco–Mumbai flight was forced to divert mid-air and land in Kolkata due to unspecified technical issues. Passengers bound for Maharashtra were unexpectedly rerouted to West Bengal, leading to confusion and delays.

These incidents follow closely on the heels of a recent Air India flight crash in Ahmedabad, raising alarm over the operational reliability of the carrier’s Boeing 787 fleet.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has taken serious note of the situation, summoning Air India’s engineering head for an explanation. An inquiry has been launched into the recurring faults and maintenance practices involving the Dreamliner aircraft.

Industry experts say the string of malfunctions could indicate deeper systemic issues, particularly in fleet maintenance and technical oversight.

With back-to-back disruptions affecting both international and domestic operations, Air India passengers are left worried about safety and reliability. The national carrier has yet to release an official statement addressing the growing list of technical mishaps.