Air India will resume international operations from October 1. The Tata-owned airline halted international flights in the wake of the Ahmedabad plane tragedy on June 12.
Acknowledging some operational challenges
over the last few weeks, Air India CEO Campbell Wilson said the airline is committed to strengthening its internal processes to minimise the inconvenience that such circumstances cause to passengers.
“We have begun a phased restoration of international operations from August 1, 2025, with full resumption targeted for October 1, 2025. This measured approach ensures we complete every verification thoroughly and resume service with complete confidence,” he said.
The Tata Group airline had decided to observe a “Safety Pause” in the aftermath of the Boeing 787-8 plane crash. The airline had said that the pause enabled it to perform additional precautionary checks on its Boeing 787 aircraft as well as accommodate longer flying times arising from airspace closures over Pakistan and the Middle East.
“Our regular safety protocols are rigorous and multi-layered, with every aircraft undergoing thorough checks before take-off by trained engineers and pilots. Maintenance is conducted at certified facilities before and between flights,” said Wilson.
Addressing concerns about air travel post June 12 plane crash, the Air India CEO informed that the airline has taken several measures, including detailed inspections of its fleet of Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 aircraft. “Each aircraft underwent inspections under the oversight of India’s aviation regulator, the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation), and we confirm that no issues were found during these inspections. As with some other international airlines, we also inspected the fuel control switch mechanism of Boeing 737 and 787-8 aircraft, likewise with no findings,” he added.
Air India has cancelled and delayed several flights due to technical issues with aircraft in the past few weeks. The airline cancelled its flight from Delhi to Milan due to a technical snag detected in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft prior to departure.
51 Safety Lapses At Air India
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) had found 51 safety lapses at Air India in its July audit, including a lack of adequate training for some pilots, the use of unapproved simulators and a poor rostering system, as per a report in news agency ANI.
June 12 Plane Crash
On June 12, the London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner began to lose thrust within seconds of taking off from the Ahmedabad Airport and ploughed into a medical college hostel, killing all but one of the 242 onboard and another 19 on the ground in the deadliest aviation accident in a decade.
