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The fatal crash of Boeing 787-8 Air India flight headed to London in Ahmedabad on Thursday has brought the focus back on Boeing, which is facing a legal investigation in the US. Air India still has 20 outstanding deliveries of B787-9 as part of its international expansion plans.
Air India has now been operating the Dreamliner for over 12 years, with the first one inducted in September 2012, becoming the first Indian operator of the type and the fifth airline globally to fly the Dreamliner. There have been concerns about the Dreamliner fleet amidst unconfirmed reports that the government may call for safety review of all B787-8 series. However, the government said that any decision would be taken post the preliminary investigation report of the crash.
Air India has two variants of Dreamliner in its fleet—B787-8 and B787-9. The majority of Air India’s Dreamliners are the 787-8 variant (26), while it also operates seven 787-9 acquired in November from its merger with Vistara. There are average is 10.9 years and 4.7 respectively.
They all fly on international routes connecting key Indian cities to London, Dubai, Melbourne, Sydney, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Vienna, Milan and Nairobi among other destinations within 10 hours’ flight range.
Air India has an outstanding delivery of 529 aircraft – 344 Airbus and 185 Boeing.
In early 2025, IndiGo damp-leased four B787-9 from Norse Atlantic Airways for international expansion. It has deployed one on the Thailand route while others are scheduled as its forays into Amsterdam and Manchester next month.
According to Boeing, 787 Dreamliner planes, which entered service in 2011, could have 50-year lifespans—around 44,000 flights each. The AI171 crash is the first involving a Dreamliner, leading to the death of 242 passengers, including cabin crew, on board and a lone survivor.
