*
Air India faces scrutiny after fatal crash and safety lapses
*
Regular inspections were carried out to fix technical incidents
*
High rate of technical incidents reported across Boeing and Airbus fleets
Written by Abhijith Ganapavaram and Aditya Kalra
NEW DELHI – Technical incidents such as engine oil and fuel leaks affecting Air India flights reached the highest rate in at least 14 months in January, a company document showed, highlighting mounting pressure on the company’s renewal ambitions.
India’s second-largest airline has been under scrutiny from the country’s safety regulator since a crash last year killed 260 people. It has since reported several security vulnerabilities and admitted in December that there was a “need for urgent improvements in operational discipline, communication and compliance culture.”
In January, Air India recorded 1.09 technical incidents per 1,000 flights, quadrupling from levels of just 0.26 in December 2024, according to a document reviewed by Reuters that the carrier submitted to the Indian government in February. No previous data was provided.
Air India operated more than 17,500 flights in January and recorded 23 technical incidents on its international and domestic flights, according to the document, which was not made public. At least 21 of those incidents have been formally investigated by the airline.
“Systematic improvements are being made across flight operations, training, engineering quality and procedural oversight to prevent recurrence,” the Air India document said.
Air India and the Indian Ministry of Civil Aviation did not respond to Reuters’ queries.
The document only provided selective comparisons of global airline industry standards based on data not publicly available and did not contain information on budget subsidiary Air India Express.
The challenges are many
Air India, owned by the Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, has been struggling to rebuild its reputation and international network, and replace its aging fleet hampered by supply chain delays.
The closure of Pakistani airspace to Indian airlines due to diplomatic tensions has also hurt them financially and forced them to close some long-haul routes.
India’s Civil Aviation Ministry told lawmakers this month that 82.5% of the 166 Air India planes it had analyzed since January 2025 had recurring technical defects, compared with 36.5% for market leader IndiGo. The ministry did not provide further details.
The technical incidents reported last month included engine stall warnings, issues with flight control and hydraulics, and engine oil and fuel leaks, the Air India document said.
There were accidents on its Airbus and Boeing aircraft, including five fuel or engine oil leaks during the month. A flight from Dubai to Mumbai found on arrival that the amount of engine oil was ‘low’.
In another incident, a flight between Delhi and Dubai on January 12 had to turn back after take-off due to lack of water in the toilet and kitchen, the document said.
Operational accidents, including rejected takeoffs, flying at a restricted altitude, and takeoffs with incorrect settings, amounted to 0.29 per 1,000 flights in January, more than double the level in December 2024, the document said.
But she added that there has been a “reduction in operational incidents” in recent months.
Take steps
Air India has a fleet of 191 aircraft, but has placed orders for more than 500 additional aircraft.
But revamping the Indian government-owned airline until 2022 has been a major challenge, and Campbell Wilson, Air India’s chief executive, has repeatedly complained that supply chain disruptions have delayed cabin modernization.
Air India’s February document detailed the steps it was taking to “work around” various technical issues.
To control leaks, it introduced a regular inspection program for its Airbus A320 fleet, and replaced all steering system hydraulic hoses on all its Boeing 777 aircraft.
A periodic air-conditioning leak inspection program has also been put in place, and Air India is implementing “targeted engineering measures” to “enhance aircraft reliability and reduce accident rates,” the document said.
The Air India cases have also attracted international regulatory scrutiny. Reuters reported this month that the British aviation authority had asked Air India to explain why a Boeing Dreamliner plane from London, which had been grounded on arrival in India for safety checks, took off with a possible faulty fuel switch.
Air India responded that it had reminded pilots that they needed to operate according to proper procedures and that it had protectively replaced the plane’s throttle control unit, according to a source familiar with the matter.
The UK Civil Aviation Authority did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
This article was generated from an automated news feed without any modifications to the text.
