Latest news with #787-8Dreamliners
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Deadly Air India crash puts ambitious turnaround plans at risk
Air India Ltd.'s ambitious plans to transform itself from a stale, financially troubled carrier into a profitable world-class airline face their biggest test yet after the deadliest aviation accident in more than a decade. India's flag carrier had long languished under government ownership, gaining a reputation among travelers for shabby in-flight services. But its 2022 takeover by Tata Group , which paid 180 billion rupees ($2.1 billion) to buy back the airline it founded in 1932, kickstarted a five-year reinvention aimed at returning Air India to its former glory and take on the world's biggest and best carriers in international routes. After more than a decade of losses, the new owners had big aspirations, setting a target for Air India and its budget carrier Air India Express to break even operationally by the end of the financial year ending March 31, 2026, according to people familiar with the matter, who asked not to be identified because the information is private. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Bevi una tazza al giorno – dal terzo giorno i pantaloni non ti stanno più! Salute Intuizione Undo Its substantial progress toward that goal — losses narrowed 61% to 44.4 billion rupees in the 2023-2024 financial year — is now threatened by the tragedy of flight AI171. The passenger jet bound for London crashed shortly after taking off from the western Indian city of Ahmedabad on Thursday, killing all but one of the 242 passengers and crew on board and causing extensive damage to a residential area. The incident marks the first-ever complete loss of a 787 and, as investigations get underway, questions are growing over how the jet exploded into a fireball including around the plane's thrust. Live Events You Might Also Like: Black box & one survivor: Hunt begins to unearth mystery behind Air India plane's deadly descent While there's no evidence to suggest that the airline's operational management or fleet maintenance had anything to do with the crash, reputational damage to Air India is inevitable. Air India has been focused on its rebrand, rather than addressing core issues like broken seats and maintenance practices, Mark Martin, founder of Martin Consulting, said in an interview on Bloomberg TV on Friday. Those issues 'should have been the priority,' he said. In the wake of the crash, travelers have taken to social media to recount their negative experiences flying with Air India including broken air conditioning, messy seats and unappetizing catering in a sign the airline is still grappling with reputational problems. A spokesperson for Air India didn't immediately respond to a Bloomberg News email seeking comment. You Might Also Like: 'Like a loud blast': What eyewitnesses saw as Air India flight AI171 crashed into BJ Medical College dining hall The execution of its turnaround plan, which includes refitting its 27 Boeing Co. 787-8 Dreamliners by as early as 2027, may also be delayed by the loss of one of these jets. Still, Air India has made some progress in winning back customers. The Tata Group airlines — Air India, Vistara and AIX Connect — had a 27.2% share of the domestic market in April, up from 24.7% in September 2022, when the turnaround plan was announced. But it lags behind its largest domestic rival, IndiGo, which had 64.1% of the domestic market and has big expansion plans of its own. InterGlobe Aviation Ltd ., its operator, has placed orders for the Airbus A350s that will start to come by 2027. Warned of Headwinds You Might Also Like: Dreamliner disaster in India deepens Boeing's longstanding safety woes While its unclear how much of a financial hit will come from the plane crash, Air India has already warned of headwinds to its return to profitability earlier this month. The continuing ban for Indian airlines using Pakistani airspace is adding flying hours for non-stop flights and will hit the company's bottomline, Chief Executive Officer Campbell Wilson said in June. The search for material evidence from the AI171 accident is gathering pace. On Friday morning, one of the two so-called black boxes, which contain critical evidence of a plane's final minutes, was located, according to the Hindustan Times. Officials have also warned the death toll could rise as they continue to comb through the wreckage as well as the severely damaged BJ Medical Hostel. Tata Group said it will pay 10 million rupees in compensation to families of the victims and contribute in the rebuilding of the hostel. 'I know there are many questions and at this stage, I will not be able to answer all of them,' Air India's Wilson said in a video posted on X in the aftermath of the crash. 'Investigations will take time. But anything we can do now, we are doing.'
Indian Express
2 days ago
- Business
- Indian Express
After first ever crash, the 787 Dreamliner – Boeing's second-most scrutinised plane – could face fresh heat following AI-171 disaster
The 787 Dreamliner, Boeing's best-selling wide body passenger jet, is the company's second-most scrutinised aircraft after the 737 MAX, which has faced multiple groundings following fatal crashes and technical issues. Yet despite the intense oversight, especially in early years, the Dreamliner had maintained a largely safe record—until Air India flight 171 crashed near Ahmedabad airport on Thursday, killing 241 people and leaving one survivor. The 787 Dreamliner, introduced in 2011, was temporarily grounded between January and April 2013 following incidents of fire caused by lithium-ion thermal runaway. Boeing resumed deliveries only after redesigning the battery system. Then, starting in 2019, the aircraft was hit by serious quality-control issues, prompting a halt in deliveries that lasted from 2021 to March 2023. Then, in April 2024, the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) launched an investigation after former Boeing engineer–turned–whistleblower Sam Salehpour alleged that sections of the 787 Dreamliner's fuselage were improperly fastened, warning the jets could come apart as they age. The following month, the FAA announced that Boeing was 'reinspecting all 787 airplanes still within the production system' and would develop plans to assess those already in service. Since its introduction, Boeing has delivered 27 787-8 Dreamliners to Indian airlines—all to Air India, with the last five delivered in 2017. A larger, longer-range variant, the 787-9 Dreamliner, saw six deliveries to Vistara—now part of Air India—between 2020 and 2024, company data shows. Boeing is set to deliver another 20 787-9s to Air India, which are currently listed among its unfulfilled orders. Now, with authorities looking for the AI-171's blackbox and the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AIIB) set to investigate the Ahmedabad crash, a first for the 787 Dreamliner, Boeing's prized model is set to come under renewed scrutiny. The 737 MAX has been a more popular choice in India, with 63 deliveries over the last decade—all between 2018 and May 2025—led by Air India (48), Akasa Air (8) and SpiceJet (7). Unfulfilled 737 MAX orders include 142 for Air India, 198 for Akasa Air, and 129 for SpiceJet. The entire 737 MAX fleet was grounded worldwide between March 2019 and November 2020 after two fatal crashes—Lion Air Flight 610 and Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302—both occurring shortly after takeoff. The crashes, which killed 346 people, were traced to a faulty flight stabilisation system that acted on erroneous sensor data. In January 2024, the FAA again grounded 171 737 MAX jets after a door plug detached mid-flight on an Alaska Airlines plane, triggering heightened regulatory scrutiny for several months. Following the incident, the FAA, referring to 737 MAX, stated: 'We will continue our aggressive oversight of the company and ensure it fixes its systemic production-quality issues.' Two months later, an audit of Boeing's Renton, Washington production line 'identified non-compliance issues in Boeing's manufacturing process control, parts handling and storage, and product control.' In May 2024, Boeing submitted a corrective action plan outlining steps such as strengthening its Safety Management System, enhancing supplier oversight, and increasing internal audits of its production system. Later, in December 2024—shortly after a machinists' strike ended—FAA Administrator Mike Whitaker visited the Renton facility and noted, 'As expected, Boeing has made progress executing its comprehensive plan in these areas, and we will continue to closely monitor the results as they begin to ramp up production following the strike.' For now, the FAA continues to issue airworthiness certificates for every newly produced 737 MAX. Aggam Walia is a Correspondent at The Indian Express, reporting on power, renewables, and mining. His work unpacks intricate ties between corporations, government, and policy, often relying on documents sourced via the RTI Act. Off the beat, he enjoys running through Delhi's parks and forests, walking to places, and cooking pasta. ... Read More
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Boeing Stock Slides After Air India 787 Crash
Boeing (NYSE:BA) shares tumbled 8% in premarket trading after one of its 787-8 Dreamliners operated by Air India crashed near Ahmedabad, India, raising fresh doubts about the plane's safety. Boeing's suppliers also felt the pain, with GE Aerospace (NYSE:GE) slipping 4.4% and Spirit AeroSystems (NYSE:SPR) down 4% on mounting investor concern. Warning! GuruFocus has detected 6 Warning Signs with BA. The Air India flight, bound for London Gatwick, departed at 1:38 p.m. local time with 242 people on board169 Indian nationals, 53 U.K. citizens, one Canadian and seven Portuguesebefore plowing into a residential neighborhood shortly after takeoff. Air India confirmed that the injured were rushed to nearby hospitals, though the fatality count remains unclear. Until this tragedy, the Dreamlinerintroduced in 2011boasted an unblemished fatal-accident record. Boeing acknowledged the incident in a statement, saying it was aware of initial reports and working to gather more information, while regulators in India and the U.S. prepare to launch parallel investigations. Investors should brace for potential delays in Boeing's delivery schedules and higher scrutiny from global aviation authorities, which could drive up compliance costs and weigh on margins. With airlines and lessors already reeling from supply-chain bottlenecks, any grounding or retrofits of Dreamliners would add further pressure to Boeing's recovery path. As safety questions mount, the market will look to India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation and the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration for preliminary findings in the coming weeks. This article first appeared on GuruFocus.
Bloomberg
07-04-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Air India Pushes Jet Upgrade to Lure Back Disgruntled Passengers
Air India long languished under government ownership while cash-rich Middle Eastern rivals siphoned off travelers. Now the airline is trying to even the score with cheaper fares, fresh cabins and lounges as well as shorter layover times. The multi-year turnaround program will initially focus on the airline's 27 Boeing Co. 787-8 Dreamliners that are more than 10 years old in some cases, with Air India seeking to complete a refit in early 2027. A second stage, involving older Boeing 777 widebodies, will start late next year, though that step is proving more complex because of issues with seat suppliers, Chief Executive Officer Campbell Wilson said.
