Air India curbs Boeing 787 & 777 flights till July 15 amid scrutiny over Ahmedabad plane crash

Air India announced the temporary reduction of international flight services of its Boeing 787 and 777 aircraft as the company faces scrutiny over Ahmedabad plane crash read more
As Air India faces scrutiny over the safety and maintenance of its Boeing aircraft, the Indian airline has released a revised international flight schedule, effective from June 21 to July 15. The new roster followed the airline company's announcement that it would temporarily reduce services on wide-body aircraft, including Boeing 787s and 777s, by 15 per cent.
The move is also coming in the wake of the Ahmedabad plane crash, in which a Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed into a medical college in Ahmedabad, killing 241 people onboard, with a lone survivor. In a statement released on Thursday, the airline confirmed that 83 international flights using Boeing 787s had already been cancelled between June 12, the day the crash occurred, and June 18.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
#ImportantUpdate
Further to the press statement released yesterday, 18 June 2025, which announced a temporary reduction in services operated by Boeing 787 and 777 aircraft, we wish to provide details on the flights affected.
These reductions will be effective from 21 June 2025,… — Air India (@airindia) June 19, 2025
Apart from this, additional reductions will be implemented through June 20 and extended until at least mid-July. Air India argued that these cuts are aimed at 'ensuring stability of operations, improving efficiency, and minimising last-minute inconvenience to passengers."
What flights are getting affected?
The revised schedule includes the full suspensions of select routes, including Delhi–Nairobi, Amritsar–London Gatwick and Goa (Mopa)–London Gatwick. There are also reduced frequencies on several North American, European, Far Eastern, and Australian routes.
Air India maintained that the decision to reduce the capacity of flights stems from multiple factors, i.e. ongoing enhanced safety inspections, a cautious approach by engineering staff and pilots, night airspace curfews in parts of Europe and East Asia and geopolitical tensions in the Middle East.
The airline acknowledged the inconvenience caused to the passengers by the change of the schedule and assured that the travellers were being proactively contacted and offered alternative flights, complimentary rescheduling, or full refunds. 'Passengers will also be offered a choice to reschedule their travel without any cost or to be given a full refund, as per their choice," the airline said in its statement.
STORY CONTINUES BELOW THIS AD
Meanwhile, the airline company also issued a travel advisory for passengers flying to or through the Middle East, citing ongoing airspace volatility. The airline authorities noted that the revised schedule will progressively get updated on airindia.com, the mobile app and via the airline's contact centres. 'This effectively adds to our reserve aircraft availability to take care of any unplanned disruptions," the airline added. Meanwhile, the Indian authorities have sent the black box of the doomed Boeing aircraft to the US to retrieve the data from the damaged device.

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Mint

25 minutes ago

• Mint

Air India Plane Crash: Parliament panel had flagged 'discrepancy' in aviation funding, months before Ahmedabad tragedy

Air India Plane Crash: A parliamentary standing committee report flagged a 'distinct imbalance' and 'discrepancy' in the allocation of funds across key aviation bodies in March, about three months before the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad. The panel observed that the discrepancy raised important questions about prioritising regulatory compliance over security infrastructure and accident investigation capabilities. The panel recommended the adoption of performance-based budgeting for aviation regulatory bodies, linking allocations to specific performance indicators and outcomes. 'The Committee observes that the Capital Outlay for BE 2025 distinct imbalance in the allocation of funds across key aviation bodies. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), entrusted with regulatory oversight, commands the largest share of ₹ 30 Crore, nearly half of the total budget,' reads the report by the Department-related Parliamentary Standing Committee on Transport, Tourism and Culture. Air India Plane Crash: The 32-member standing committee, headed by Janata Dal United MP Sanjay Jha, presented its report in the Rajya Sabha on March 25, 2025. The London-bound Air India flight AI-171 carrying 242 passengers and crew members crashed in Ahmedabad on 12 June. All but one on board the plane died along with nearly 29 on the ground when the aircraft smashed into a medical complex. 'While its role in ensuring compliance with aviation standards is indisputable, the justification for such a significant allocation must be carefully examined to ensure efficiency and accountability,' the report reads. Air Indai Plane Crash: According to the report, while the DGCA was allocated ₹ 30 crore for the financial year 2025-26, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) got ₹ 20 crore, and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) received only ₹ 15 crore According to the report, while the DGCA was allocated ₹ 30 crore for the financial year 2025-26, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) got ₹ 20 crore, and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS) received only ₹ 15 crore. The AAIB is probing the Ahmedabad Air India plane crash. 'In contrast, the BCAS and AAIB receive ₹ 15 Crore and ₹ 20 Crore, respectively. While regulatory compliance remains essential, the rapid expansion of aviation infrastructure – with airports increasing from 74 in 2014 to 147 in 2022 and a target of 220 by 2024-25 – necessitates proportional growth of security capabilities and accident investigation resources. In view of the growing complexity of aviation security threats and the critical nature of accident investigations, the Committee finds these allocations relatively modest," the report reads. The 32-member standing committee, headed by Janata Dal United MP Sanjay Jha, presented its report in the Rajya Sabha on March 25, 2025. Apart from Jha (Chairman), the other members of the panel included M Mohamed Abdulla, M Nadimul Haque, Jaggesh, Sudha Murty, Imran Pratapgarhi from the Rajya Sabha and Mina Altaf Ahmad, Rajiv Pratap Rudy, Manoj Tiwari, KC Venugopal from the Lok Sabha to name a few. The report said the 'funding discrepancy' raises important questions about prioritising regulatory compliance over security infrastructure and accident investigation capabilities. The panel recommended that aviation regulatory bodies adopt performance-based budgeting, linking allocations to specific performance indicators and outcomes. 'This approach would enhance accountability and ensure that funds are utilised efficiently to address the most pressing challenges within each domain. Regular performance audits should be conducted to assess the effectiveness of allocated resources and inform future budgeting decisions," it said. Air India Plane Crash: The report said the 'funding discrepancy' raises important questions about prioritising regulatory compliance over security infrastructure and accident investigation capabilities. The discrepancy raises important questions about prioritising regulatory compliance over security infrastructure and accident investigation capabilities. The panel, as reported by LiveMint earlier, also raised serious concerns over the limited manpower in the DGCA, BCAS, and the Airports Authority of India (AAI). More than 53 per cent of positions are vacant in the DGCA, 35 per cent in the BCAS, and 17 per cent in the AAI, which manages airport infrastructure, according to the 375th report on Demands for Grants (2025–26) of the Ministry of Civil Aviation.

Mint

25 minutes ago

• Mint

Be alert about...: Uday Kotak hails Indian savers' transformation into investors but cautions against THIS

Indian stock market: Billionaire banker Uday Kotak, the founder and director of Kotak Mahindra Bank, highlighted a key transformation underway in India's financial landscape: investors preferring equity markets over bank FDs. However, he also shared a word of caution amid the growing equity culture. Kotak, in a recent post on social media platform X, wrote, 'India's saver turns investor. Post Covid, mutual fund AUM share, mainly equity, has doubled to 31% of bank deposits.' This succinct statement encapsulates a significant shift in the mindset of Indian households — from parking money in traditional bank deposits to actively investing in capital markets, particularly through mutual funds. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, Indian households predominantly preferred safe instruments like fixed deposits for saving money. Equity investments were often seen as risky and suitable only for a small section of financially literate or affluent individuals. However, the post-pandemic era has marked a change in this conservative approach. The share of mutual fund assets under management (AUM), largely driven by equity funds, has now grown to 31% of total bank deposits — a stark contrast to pre-COVID levels, where the share was significantly lower. According to the data shared by Kotak, the mutual fund AUM as a proportion of bank deposits was 13% in FY15, which increased to 21% in FY21, and now stands at 31% as of May 2025. The latest data from Association of Mutual Funds in India (AMFI) showed that the total AUM of mutual funds stood at ₹ 71.93 lakh crore in May, registering a 3% growth from ₹ 69.73 lakh crore in April. The pandemic prompted many individuals to reassess their financial planning, creating a stronger awareness of the importance of long-term wealth creation. With fixed deposit returns remaining relatively low and inflation impacting real returns, more people began exploring mutual funds for better yields. The rise of user-friendly investment platforms also made mutual fund investing more accessible to the masses, especially young investors. Another major contributor to this shift has been the widespread adoption of Systematic Investment Plans (SIPs). AMFI data showed that the monthly inflow into mutual funds through the SIP route rose by 0.21% to a fresh high of ₹ 26,688 crore in May. Additionally, the number of contributing SIP accounts in May rose to 8.56 crore against 8.38 crore in the previous month. The Indian stock market has witnessed a remarkable rally since the lows of the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the past five years, the benchmark Sensex has surged by 137%, while the Nifty 50 has advanced 145%. Broader markets have significantly outperformed the frontline indices during this period. The Nifty Smallcap 100 and Nifty Midcap 100 indices have each delivered nearly 300% returns over the last five years, underscoring the growing participation and interest in mid- and small-cap segments. While celebrating the shift from saving to investing and the impressive returns across market segments, Uday Kotak offers a timely caution: 'But let's be alert about excessive exuberance.' This serves as a prudent reminder that rapid market gains can often lead to over-optimism and speculative behavior. As valuations soar and investor participation widens, there is a risk of complacency or irrational expectations setting in. Kotak's message underscores the importance of maintaining financial discipline, focusing on fundamentals, and being mindful of potential market corrections — especially in an environment where sentiment can shift swiftly. Disclaimer: The views and recommendations made above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, and not of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.

India Today

37 minutes ago

• India Today

Disaster after disaster: Who is accountable?

It was meant to be a week when the Narendra Modi-led NDA government would celebrate its 11th year in power with the signature 'band, baaja, baraat' media hype that has been its forte. And yet, for once, even the astute headline management skills of the government's cheerleaders couldn't detract from the awfulness of the breaking news in the second week of June: at least 270 people died in the worst civil aviation disaster in this country since two planes collided mid-air in 1996. That the Air India flight 171 crashed just outside Ahmedabad in Gujarat, the home state of the government's Big Two, perhaps makes the tragedy even more poignant. Far from celebrating a political party milestone, the nation was united in it is premature to speculate over the causes of the crash – various aviation 'experts' in TV studios have proffered different theories – the crash has triggered a renewed debate over air safety. While official data suggests India's safety track record is at par with global standards, there are enough reasons for concern. A Tata Group-run Air India management still coming to terms with the fact that running a legacy airline is not quite the same as managing a steel or any other consumer business; Boeing, the world's largest aerospace company that finds itself under scrutiny once again; the Ministry of Civil Aviation (MOCA) whose supervisory and regulatory powers over a rapidly expanding sector will come under the scanner; the Adani group which manages and operates the Ahmedabad airport will also have to provide to give context. A parliamentary standing committee report on MOCA in March this year pointed out that the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) was operating with 53% of its sanctioned posts vacant, while the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security has a vacancy rate of 35%. The government's ambitious UDAN scheme aims to connect 120 new destinations, but its budget has been slashed by 32%. While the number of airports has nearly doubled in the last decade, the amount being spent on maintaining safety standards lags behind. Which raises a big question: will a horrific air crash change anything on the ground? The black box and flight data recorder may provide more clues as to what happened for a Dreamliner plane to explode into a fireball just seconds after take-off but will the inquiry be fair and transparent in revealing the truth given the mighty stakeholders involved? Which brings one to ask a critical question: is there any ACCOUNTABILITY in our system to ensure responsibility is fixed on key figures in a time-bound manner? Just look at the series of events in a disastrous month of June that still has some days to June 4, just a day after the IPL final, a stampede in Bengaluru during the victory celebrations of the Royal Challengers Bengaluru left 11 people dead, many more injured. The rushed event was organised despite the fact that the police had not given the required permission. With back-to-back events being organised at the Vidhan Soudha and Chinnaswamy Stadium, the police was overwhelmed by the surging crowds. A public spectacle for a privately-run franchise's triumph was given priority over the urgent need for public safety. Instead of accepting responsibility, the faction-ridden Congress government in Karnataka has busily disowned its culpability. Bengaluru's top cop has been suspended while no politician who happily posed with the star players has been held to June 9, four people died and nine were injured in a rail accident in Mumbra near Mumbai. The commuters fell onto the tracks while they were standing on the footboards of overcrowded trains. People hanging by the door in peak hour crowding is not new with a sharp curve along the Mumbra track making it even more hazardous. While a Central Railway committee is probing the incident, the underlying causes of a shambolic public transport system in a megapolis like Mumbai remain unaddressed. Is the creaking suburban train system suffering from neglect as alleged by commuter organisations while the private car traffic whizzes by on a shining coastal road?advertisementOn June 16, a bridge collapsed near Pune due to overcrowding amidst heavy rainfall, leaving four people dead and several more injured. The 30-year-old bridge was deemed 'unsafe' but, despite red flags being raised by locals for several years, a work order for the construction of a new bridge was delayed and reportedly issued only five days before the collapse. Approval of Rs 8 crore for a new bridge was given last year, but bureaucratic red-tapism meant that it was all too late to avoid a tragedy. Yet again, Maharashtra's BJP-led ruling alliance politicians have fulminated and promised action, only presumably until the next bridge collapse serves as another wake-up June 15, seven people died when a chopper flying from Kedarnath temple to Guptkashi in Uttarakhand crashed in the forest. Worryingly, this was the fifth such incident in just six weeks in the area, raising questions over the feasibility of helicopter services in inclement weather in the mountains. Chief Minister Pushkar Dhami has promised to put in place a Standard Operating Procedure while the DGCA has assured extra surveillance. Once again, a case of too little, too the chronology of each such tragedy follows a familiar pattern. Little attention is paid to adhering to strict safety norms in a characteristic 'chalta hai' attitude. Rather than focus on the rigors of daily governance, priority is given to the optics of political grandstanding. More fast trains are flagged, more airports are commissioned, more tourist sites are created, more glitzy sports celebrations are a Viksit Bharat by 2047, as envisaged by the Modi government, is a noble aim. Yet, the grim reality on the ground often doesn't match the dreams being spun in the air in a nation of 1.4 billion people. And then, when every now and then, a rickety bridge collapses, a stampede is caused by mass hysteria or there is a rail or air accident, those in positions of power are the first to shrug off their responsibility. After all, in almost all instances, it is the faceless, anonymous Indian who pays with their lives. Unless there is a fundamental change in approach that places a premium on accountability above all else, we will simply lurch from one disaster to the next. Because in India, if there is one sport that we deserve an Olympic medal in, it is 'passing the buck'.advertisementPost-script: Ironically, just a few days ago, a BBC investigative report exposed the truth of the Mahakumbh stampede deaths in January this year. Officially, the UP government claimed 37 people died, but the detailed BBC investigation found the number was at least 82. If we lie about death, what price is there for human lives?(Rajdeep Sardesai is a senior journalist and author. His latest book is 2024: The Election That Surprised India)(Views expressed in this opinion piece are those of the author)Tune InMust Watch