Tue Feb 03 08:01:04 UTC 2026: # Air India Re-inspects Boeing 787 Fuel Switches Following Defect and Past Tragedy
The Story:
Air India has initiated a fleet-wide re-inspection of fuel control switches on its Boeing 787 aircraft after a reported defect on a flight from London Heathrow to Bengaluru on February 1, 2026. The airline’s Senior Vice President for Flight Operations, Manish Uppal, informed pilots that the engineering team has escalated the matter to Boeing for evaluation. This re-inspection is conducted out of “an abundance of caution” while awaiting Boeing’s response. This event comes after a fatal crash in Ahmedabad last June, involving a Boeing 787-8, which killed 260 people. Preliminary investigation reports indicated a possible fuel supply cutoff shortly after takeoff.
Key Points:
- Air India is re-inspecting fuel control switches on its 33 Boeing 787 aircraft (26 legacy Boeing 787-8s and 7 Boeing 787-9s).
- The re-inspection was triggered by a reported defect on a flight from London Heathrow to Bengaluru on February 1, 2026.
- Manish Uppal, Air India’s Senior Vice President for Flight Operations, communicated the decision to pilots.
- The airline has escalated the issue to Boeing for priority evaluation.
- The re-inspection follows the crash of an Air India Boeing 787-8 in Ahmedabad in June 2025, which claimed 260 lives.
Key Takeaways:
- Air India is prioritizing safety following a fatal crash and recent malfunctions.
- The airline is taking a proactive approach by re-inspecting its fleet and involving Boeing in the investigation.
- Public confidence in Air India and the Boeing 787 may be affected by the ongoing scrutiny of fuel control systems.
- The incident highlights the critical importance of fuel control switch reliability in aviation safety.
- The airline is emphasizing the importance of crew reporting any observed defects.
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