Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi

New Delhi, Jun 17: In the wake of the June 12 Ahmedabad plane crash that claimed 241 lives, Air India has cancelled 66 flights involving Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft, India’s aviation regulator DGCA confirmed on Tuesday.

The cancelled flights include international routes such as Delhi–Dubai, Delhi–Paris, Delhi–Vienna, Ahmedabad–London, and Mumbai–San Francisco, among others. The cancellations primarily stem from heightened technical checks and enhanced safety protocols introduced after the crash.

According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the aircraft involved in the Ahmedabad crash was a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner that plunged into a hostel complex shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, killing all but one of the 242 passengers and causing numerous casualties on the ground.

DGCA stated that a recent safety audit of Air India’s Boeing 787 fleet did not reveal any major safety concerns. The aircraft and associated maintenance systems were found compliant with current standards. However, the regulator raised concerns about Air India's inter-departmental coordination and directed the airline to improve its internal processes.

Among the flights cancelled on Tuesday were:

• AI915 (Delhi to Dubai – B787)
• AI153 (Delhi to Vienna – B787)
• AI143 (Delhi to Paris – B787)
• AI159 (Ahmedabad to London – B787)
• AI170 (London to Amritsar – B787)
• AI133 (Bengaluru to London – B787)
• AI179 (Mumbai to San Francisco – B777)

Air India had resumed its Ahmedabad–London Gatwick route on Monday with a new flight number AI159, replacing the ill-fated AI171, but had to cancel Tuesday’s flight again due to aircraft unavailability.

Authorities continue to investigate the cause of the tragic crash, which remains one of the deadliest in recent Indian aviation history.