Air India has completed thorough safety checks on the Fuel Control Switch (FCS) locking systems in its fleets of Boeing 787 and 737 aircraft, following directives from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) after a devastating crash last month.
The fatal incident occurred on June 12, when a Boeing 787-8 en route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick crashed into a residential building shortly after takeoff, resulting in 260 deaths, including 19 people on the ground. Only one of the 242 onboard passengers survived. The exact cause of the crash is still under investigation, but the tragedy has sparked widespread safety reviews across the aviation industry.
In response, the DGCA released a safety order on July 14, requiring checks on the FCS mechanisms in all applicable aircraft. Air India and its low-cost branch, Air India Express, promptly carried out these inspections on their respective Boeing 787 and 737 models.
An airline representative confirmed that no malfunctions were discovered during the evaluations. “We began precautionary checks on July 12, ahead of the official DGCA directive, and completed them within the recommended timeframe,” the spokesperson stated. “Our compliance has been reported to the regulator.”
Air India reaffirmed its unwavering focus on safety, reiterating that passenger and crew welfare remains its top priority.
