New Delhi, June 19: Air India has temporarily grounded 15 per cent of its international wide-body operations following the recent crash of a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, CEO and Managing Director Campbell Wilson confirmed on Thursday. He assured flyers that the aircraft involved was well-maintained and had shown no issues before departure.
“The aircraft had undergone its last major maintenance check in June 2023, with the next scheduled for December 2025,” Wilson said in a message addressed to passengers. “Its right engine was overhauled in March 2025 and the left engine was inspected in April 2025. Both the aircraft and its engines were under continuous monitoring and showed no anomalies prior to the flight.”
Describing the 15 per cent reduction in Air India’s wide-body fleet operations—effective from June 20 to mid-July—as a temporary measure, Wilson said the move was necessary to accommodate enhanced pre-flight safety checks across the airline’s Boeing 787 and 777 aircraft. These checks are being introduced as a confidence-building step for passengers and crew.
“Given the time these additional checks will consume and the potential impact on schedules, we’ve decided to temporarily scale back international operations,” Wilson explained. “This will also allow us to keep more backup aircraft ready to manage any unexpected issues. We understand that this may disrupt your travel plans, and we are truly sorry for the inconvenience.”
The Air India chief also said the airline is cooperating fully with authorities and is awaiting the results of the official investigation into the crash to determine what caused the fatal incident.
“Our thoughts are with everyone touched by this loss,” Wilson added. “We are fully committed to supporting the affected families and learning from this tragedy.”
The exact cause of the crash is still unknown, and both Air India and aviation authorities have refrained from speculating until the inquiry report is released.
