The surveillance of the 787 aircraft was done after DGCA’s directive for enhanced surveillance following the accident of an Air India aircraft last week which crashed shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad airport killing 274 people.
The checks included assessments of certain take-off parameters, electronic engine control tests and engine fuel-related checks.
“The recent surveillance conducted on Air India’s Boeing 787 fleet did not reveal any major safety concerns. The aircraft and associated maintenance systems were found to be compliant with existing safety standards,” DGCA said in a statement.
According to classification by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), complete failure of major components of a plane are termed as major issues.
DGCA said that checks have been conducted on 24 aircraft while three will be done by tomorrow. Six aircraft which are currently under maintenance will undergo checks when they are back in the fleet. Air India has a fleet of 33 787 aircraft, the oldest of which was acquired in 2012. The plane that went down entered service in 2014.The regulator also asked the airline to ensure communication with passengers and adopt alternate routing strategies to minimize disruptions following cancellation of over 66 flights over the last six days. The flights were to be operated by 787 aircraft and were cancelled due DGCA’s enhanced inspection, the effect of which was compounded due to the closure of the Iran airspace forcing airlines longer diversion. Night curfew in European airports further delayed the return leg as pilots also ran out of their permitted duty hours.
Some of the flights that were cancelled were London-Amritsar and Delhi-Dubai, Bengaluru-London, Delhi-Vienna and Delhi-Paris according to the airline.
DGCA boss Faiz Ahmed Kidwai met CEOs of both the airlines- Campbell Wilson and Aloke Singh over a virtual meeting. The head of operations, safety and training of both the airlines were part of the meeting.
This was the first meeting between the regulators with Wilson after the crash.
“The operators were reminded of their obligations under the relevant rules to inform passengers well in advance regarding delays and cancellations. Emphasis was placed on effective passenger facilitation and timely dissemination of information through all available channels,” DGCA said.
“We regret the inconvenience caused to our passengers and are making alternative arrangements to fly them to their destination at the earliest. We are providing hotel accommodation and also offering full refunds on cancellations or complimentary rescheduling if opted by the passengers,” an Air India spokesperson said.
The airline is also struggling to bring back confidence into its crew, particularly that of the Boeing 787 fleet, some of whom are heavily impacted by the accident.
The airline has established a dedicated “Peer group” to assist crew members affected by the incident. This “peer group” has been specially formed to provide mental health support and counseling for both cockpit and cabin crew.
Comprising former Air Force officers and experienced female pilots, the group offers pre-flight counseling and emotional support. The initiative aims to ensure that crew members receive the care they need—both in the air and on the ground.
