Dreamliner disaster in India deepens Boeing's longstanding safety woes
Boeing 787 Dreamliner planes have experienced operational problems in the past with passengers onboard, resulting in injuries. But there has not been a fatality recorded in previous incidents involving the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, according to the Aviation Safety Network database.
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The crash of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner passenger jet in western India on Thursday is renewing scrutiny of company's safety record after a yearslong quality crisis.An Air India passenger plane carrying 242 passengers and crew members that was headed to London crashed in western India on Thursday, the airline said on social media. Air India said 242 passengers and crew were onboard the plane when it crashed. These include 169 Indians, 53 British, seven Portuguese and a Canadian. There was no immediate information about survivors.Boeing 787 Dreamliner planes have experienced operational problems in the past with passengers onboard, resulting in injuries. But there has not been a fatality recorded in previous incidents involving the Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, according to the Aviation Safety Network database."We are aware of initial reports and are working to gather more information," Boeing said in a statement.The crash comes as Boeing is still wending through a yearslong legal saga over two deadly crashes of its 737 Max plane in 2018 and 2019 that killed 346 people. The company reached a deal with the Justice Department last month, which would spare the company from taking criminal responsibility for the crashes.As part of the deal, Boeing would still have to admit to obstructing federal oversight, pay a fine, contribute to a fund for the families of the victims and invest in safety and quality programs. The deal, which must still be approved by a judge, was opposed by many of the families of the crash victims.The airplane manufacturer has faced other prominent safety issues. In January 2024, a hole blew open on a Boeing 737 Max 9 during an Alaska Airlines flight, exposing passengers to forceful winds. Boeing told regulators in August of that year it would redesign the panels to better detect any malfunctions.In April 2024, the Federal Aviation Administration said it was investigating claims made by a Boeing engineer who said that sections of the fuselage of the 787 Dreamliner, the model involved in the crash in India on Thursday, were improperly fastened together and could break apart mid-flight after thousands of trips.Boeing said at the time it had done extensive testing on the Dreamliner and "determined that this is not an immediate safety of flight issue."Kelly Ortberg, the company's chief executive, described 2025 as "our turnaround year" in a message to employees in April, when the company released better-than-expected quarterly financial results.The company's shares slid as much as 8 percent in premarket trading on Thursday.
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