In the aftermath of the devastating crash of Air India Flight AI-171, top executives from the airline have confirmed that the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner involved showed no technical or maintenance issues prior to takeoff. Both aircraft and engine systems had cleared all recent inspections, according to statements issued by Air India CEO Campbell Wilson and Tata Sons Chairman N Chandrasekaran.
Wilson noted that the aircraft was “well maintained,” with its last major inspection completed in June 2023 and the next scheduled for December 2025. “Both the aircraft and engines were regularly monitored and showed no issues before the flight,” he said. He also announced enhanced safety checks across Air India’s Boeing 787 fleet, with 26 out of 33 Dreamliners already cleared to fly again.
Chandrasekaran added that the right engine was newly installed in March 2025, while the left engine had been serviced in 2023. “There were no red flags or safety concerns. Dreamliners have maintained a strong safety record globally,” he stated.
The executives also defended the professionalism of the crew. The flight was captained by Sumeet Sabharwal, a senior pilot and trainer with over 10,000 hours of flying experience on widebody jets, and assisted by First Officer Clive Kunder, who had clocked over 3,400 hours of flight time.
The crash, which occurred just seconds after takeoff from Ahmedabad on June 12, claimed the lives of 241 people on board and 34 individuals on the ground. In response, Air India has temporarily reduced its international widebody operations by 15% to prioritize fleet-wide safety inspections.
Both Wilson and Chandrasekaran urged against premature conclusions about the crash’s cause, emphasizing that detailed investigations are ongoing. Chandrasekaran said black box data will be crucial to understanding what happened, and preliminary findings from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation are expected within a month.
Air India expressed deep condolences to the families of the victims and reaffirmed its commitment to the highest standards of passenger safety.
