Air India plane 787 Dreamliner's first crash clouds Boeing's Paris air show

On 30 April, the American aircraft manufacturer highlighted the success of the Dreamliner series in a press release, noting that its 1,175 planes had carried 1 billion passengers in 14 years, a record that surpasses any other wide-body commercial aeroplane in history.

“Flying over 1 billion passengers in this relatively short time is a testament to how the airplane has delivered on its promises to transform air travel with operational versatility, efficiency and comfort," said Scott Stocker, Boeing 787 program vice-president and general manager.

Airlines using the Dreamliner series have praised the planes for their significantly improved fuel efficiency.  The 787 family is 25% more fuel-efficient than the aeroplanes it replaces, thanks in large part to new engines, the expanded use of lightweight composite materials, more efficient system applications, and modern aerodynamics, Boeing said in a statement dated 30 April.

To be sure, Boeing 787 Dreamliner planes have experienced operational problems in the past. These planes faced significant battery issues in 2013, leading to a worldwide grounding of the fleet. These problems stemmed from lithium-ion batteries used in the aircraft's auxiliary power unit (APU), which were prone to thermal runaway and fires. The issues ultimately resulted in the grounding of the Dreamliner fleet, with the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) and National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigating the design and manufacturing of the batteries.

Also read How the crash impacts Air India, insurers and Boeing

Air India had also grounded its planes and subsequently made the necessary changes before flying them again. The aircraft has had no issues since then. However, Thursday’s crash is the first crash reported in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner series, according to the Aviation Safety Network database.  In April 2024, the FAA announced that it was investigating claims made by a Boeing engineer who alleged that parts of the 787 Dreamliner's fuselage were improperly fastened together. Worryingly, the engineer had told the aviation regulator that the fuselage could break apart mid-flight. Boeing rejected the claims by the former engineer.  

Aviation consultant John M. Cox, the CEO of Safety Operating Systems, told the Associated Press that while the initial images of Thursday's crash were poor, they appeared to show the aircraft with its nose up and not climbing, which is one of the factors investigators would examine. “At this point, it's very, very, very early, we don't know a whole lot," Cox told AP. “But the 787 has very extensive flight data monitoring--the parameters on the flight data recorder are in the thousands--so once we get that recorder, they'll be able to know pretty quickly what happened."  

Thursday’s crash comes after Boeing last month agreed to pay $1.1 billion in a deal with the US Department of Justice to avoid prosecution over the two crashes that together killed 346 people. The two major crashes that resulted from faults in Boeing planes, specifically the 737 Max model, occurred in Indonesia and Ethiopia in 2018 and 2019. The Boeing 737 Max model was grounded for almost a year before being relaunched.  For Boeing, the latest crash is bad news coming just a week ahead of the Paris Air Show, where it could have booked fresh orders. Its shares were trading nearly 6% lower in pre-market deals on Thursday. 

Read this Air India's Boeing Dreamliner crashes minutes after takeoff

“With profound sorrow I confirm that Air India flight, AI 171 operating Ahmedabad London Gatwick was involved in a tragic accident today," Natarajan Chandrasekaran, Tata Sons chairman, said in a prepared statement. Chandrasekaran, who is also the chair of Air India, added: “At this moment, our primary focus is on supporting all the affected people and their families. We are doing everything in our power to assist the emergency response teams at the site and to provide all necessary support and care to those impacted."  

"We are deeply saddened by the tragic accident involving Air India Flight 171 on its journey from Ahmedabad to London. This heart-wrenching incident has brought immense grief to countless families, and our thoughts are with all those who have lost their loved ones today," said Noel Tata, chair of Tata Trusts, the philanthropic entities that control the Tata conglomerate.  In a statement reacting to the crash, Boeing said: “We are aware of initial reports and are working to gather more information."  

"The FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) is in contact with the NTSB (National Transportation Safety Board) regarding Air India flight AI171, operating from Ahmedabad (AMD) to London Gatwick (LGW), that was involved in an accident in India on Thursday, June 12," FAA said in a statement on Thursday. "When an international incident occurs, that government leads the investigation. In the event assistance is requested, the NTSB is the official U.S. representative and the FAA provides technical support. We stand ready to launch a team immediately in coordination with the NTSB".  For now, there is no certainty whether India's civil aviation watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) will ground the rest of the Dreamliners aircraft.  

And read Will the Air India crash lead to the grounding of the Dreamliner series and disrupt travel?

“This is a very successful aircraft, this is probably the first major issue with the 787, it will not affect the company’s prospects. The DGCA will not ground the rest of the fleet, if they do, it would be a thoughtless act," said Captain Mohan Ranganathan, a former airline instructor pilot.  

As of 14 April 2025, Air India’s fleet comprises 198 aircraft. This includes 34 Dreamliners, comprising 27 Boeing 787-8s and 7 Boeing 787-9s. Boeing has a robust order book for the Dreamliner, including 20 from Air India, the first of which is due by the end of this year.