Air India cancels 6 Dreamliner international flights due to enhanced checks of its fleet

Air India cancelled 6 international flights due to various reasons including 'operational issues'. 

The cancelled flights include AI 915 (Delhi-Dubai), AI 153 (Delhi-Vienna), AI 143 (Delhi-Paris), AI179 (Mumbai-San Francisco), AI 133 (Bengaluru-London) and AI 170 (London-Amritsar). Air India operates B 787-8 Dreamliners to the UK and Europe.

Earlier in the day, Air India had cancelled its Ahmedabad-London Gatwick AI 159 flight on account of non-availability of aircraft.

As per the airline, the cancellation is due to the DGCA checks of all Air India flights across the country. Alternative arrangements were made available for the passengers who were bound to travel on these flights. Hotel accommodation was being provided, and refunds on cancellations or complimentary rescheduling were also being offered if opted by the passengers, reported Hindustan Times. 

DGCA has asked Air India to submit the training records of the pilots and dispatchers for the ill-fated AI 171 flight. Dispatchers are ground-based airline employees who are certified by the DGCA and are responsible for flight planning as well as assessing weather and airspace conditions.

The Mumbai-bound Air India flight from San Francisco deplaned its passengers in Kolkata after a technical snag was noticed in one of the engines. 

The cancellation of the flights comes after the London-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft crashed into a hostel complex in Ahmedabad shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport on June 12. 

With just one survivor and killing 241 passengers including the crew, the flight crash has been the worst the country has seen so far. Apart from the passengers, many students in the hostel complex were also reported to have died in the accident. Former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani was one of the victims of the crash and his mortal remains were cremated with full state honours at Rajkot on Monday.

India