Air India has announced the successful completion of precautionary inspections on the Fuel Control Switch (FCS) locking mechanisms across its Boeing 787 and Boeing 737 aircraft. The move comes in response to heightened safety concerns following last month’s devastating crash of an Air India Dreamliner that claimed over 250 lives.
According to an Air India spokesperson, the airline found “no issues with the said locking mechanism” during the inspections. The airline initiated these checks on 12 July, even before the official directive was issued by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).
“Air India had initiated voluntary inspections on July 12, ahead of the DGCA directive, and completed them within the prescribed timeline. The same has been communicated to the regulator,” the spokesperson said.
The airline further reaffirmed its focus on safety, stating, “Air India remains committed to the safety of passengers and crew members.”
The DGCA’s safety directive, issued on 14 July, came just days after a fatal crash on 12 June, when an Air India Boeing 787-8 operating a flight from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick crashed shortly after take-off. The aircraft collided with a building, killing 260 people, including 19 individuals on the ground. Of the 242 people onboard, only one passenger survived.
The crash, one of the deadliest in India’s aviation history, has triggered a broad investigation, with the fuel control switches identified as a key area of focus.
The FCS is a critical component in aircraft operations, responsible for regulating the flow of fuel into the engines. These switches are used by pilots to start or shut down engines on the ground, and can also be used mid-flight to restart or stop an engine in case of failure.
The current investigation into the crash is centred on whether a malfunction or error involving the FCS played a role in the incident. A final report is expected within a year.
Air India operates the Boeing 787 Dreamliner for long-haul international routes, while its low-cost subsidiary, Air India Express, operates Boeing 737 single-aisle jets for domestic and short-haul international services. Both aircraft types underwent inspections as part of the directive, with results submitted to the DGCA.
