79% Air India flyers report quality, aircraft maintenance issues: Survey

Business Standard

4 hours ago

Nearly four out of five Air India passengers experienced quality and aircraft maintenance issues in the past year, according to a recent survey published by LocalCircles. 'Seventy-nine per cent of Air India passengers surveyed confirmed experiencing quality and aircraft maintenance issues in the last 12 months, marking a jump from 55 per cent who experienced such issues in 2024,' the survey reported.
The sharp increase in dissatisfaction and distrust comes in the wake of the June 12 crash of Air India's flight AI171 — a Boeing 787 Dreamliner — which killed all but one of the 242 people on board. Another 34 people on the ground also died as a result of the crash.
Air India survey: Key findings
Aircraft quality and maintenance was found to be the top concern
Quality and maintenance of aircraft emerged as the single biggest issue for passengers. The percentage of passengers reporting such problems rose from 55 per cent in 2024 to 79 per cent in 2025.
The survey stated: 'Quality and maintenance of aircraft is the single biggest issue fliers had with Air India in the last 12 months; 79 per cent who flew confirmed experiencing such issues.'
Complaints have also increased in several other areas:
Baggage handling: 48 per cent of respondents reported issues, up from 38 per cent in 2024
Customer service: 31 per cent reported problems, up from 24 per cent in 2024
Entertainment systems: 36 per cent reported issues, up from 24 per cent in 2024
Timeliness: 46 per cent reported problems, though this is an improvement from 69 per cent in 2024
Information timeliness and transparency: 36 per cent reported issues, a slight improvement from 38 per cent in 2024
Staff attitude and courteousness: 31 per cent reported issues, down from 38 per cent in 2024
Food quality: 31 per cent reported issues
Operational lapses and regulatory action
The survey also found that many passengers have shelved their travel plans following the recent Ahmedabad crash, some because the airline itself cancelled several flights at the slightest suspicion of technical issues.
The survey results were compiled using 15,000 responses from Air India passengers across more than 307 districts in India. Around 63 per cent of the participants were men, and the remaining 37 per cent women. About 44 per cent of the respondents were from tier 1 cities, 26 per cent from tier 2 cities, and 30 per cent from tier 3, 4, 5, and rural districts.
Air India's response, regulatory oversight
While Air India has shown some improvement in timeliness and staff attitude, the overall trend is negative, with more passengers reporting problems across multiple areas, as per the survey.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is currently investigating the root causes of the recent Air India crash and is examining safety and maintenance aspects of the airline. However, the regulator is not expected to probe all other issues raised by passengers. 'It is hoped that the government would set up a high-level panel with representatives from DGCA and Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) for better redressal of fliers' grievances,' the survey report noted.
In an unrelated development on June 22, the DGCA suspended three senior Air India executives responsible for flight crew rostering and warned that the airline's licence to operate could be revoked if similar violations are detected in future audits or inspections.