6 Dreamliner’s among 7 Air India flights cancelled amid tough post-crash checks
New Delhi
A total of seven Air India international flights were cancelled on Tuesday due to varying reasons, including technical glitches and aircraft unavailability. Six among the cancelled flights were scheduled to be operated by Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner’s, the same passenger mode involved in the Ahmedabad crash that killed over 270 people.
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The flights cancelled include
AI915 - Delhi to Dubai - B788 Dreamliner
AI153 - Delhi to Vienna - B788 Dreamliner
AI143 - Delhi to Paris - B788 Dreamliner
AI159 - Ahmedabad to London - B788 Dreamliner
AI170 - London to Amritsar - B788 Dreamliner
AI133 - Bengaluru to London - B788 Dreamliner
AI179 - Mumbai to San Francisco - B777
For Delhi-Paris, Air India said that the cancellation was due to pre-flight checks revealing a technical issue while the disruption on the Ahmedabad-London sector was due to aircraft unavailability.
Reasons for the other cancellations were not immediately known, but they reflected on Air India's website.
Following the crash of 12 AI 171 on June 12, Air India has enhanced safety checks on its flights, especially of its Boeing 787 Dreamliner fleet. These checks are likely to have stressed the airline's flight schedule, leading to these cancellations.
"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," said Air India in a statement.
Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has called for an urgent meeting with officials from Air India and Air India Express. The DGCA Director General is expected to chair the meeting.
This comes in the wake of recent incidents involving Air India flights, including the Ahmedabad crash and issues with Dreamliner aircraft. The agenda of the meeting is not yet clear, but it may address the recent flight cancellations, diversions, and delays reported by Air India.
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