Air India is reducing the number of flights it operates with its Boeing 787 and 777 widebody aircraft in order to carry out extra safety checks following this month’s tragic accident.
The carrier yesterday announced that from 21 June it would undertake enhanced pre-flight safety checks. Operations are also affected by airspace closures in the Middle East due to the ongoing conflict there.
As a result of the changes, three routes have been suspended, while frequencies have been reduced on a further 18 flights.
Air India Cargo is the largest international air cargo operator in India, providing vital capacity to the country’s growing air cargo market.
Volumes out of the country have been booming in recent years as some manufacturing has switched away from China, and the country’s government offers incentives for companies to set up their factories there.
Recently, India surpassed China to become the largest exporter of smartphones to the US by air.
The routes that have been suspended are Delhi to Nairobi, which operated four times per week, Amritsar to Gatwick, which operated three times per week and Goa to Gatwick, which operated three times per week.
Meanwhile, frequencies are being reduced on five routes to North America, covering: Toronto, Vancouver, San Francisco, Chicago and Washington.
There is a reduction on nine European flights: Heathrow (2), Birmingham (2), Paris, Milan, Copenhagen, Vienna and Amsterdam.
Australia flights to Melbourne and Sydney are reduced. And to Asia Pacific, flights to Tokyo Haneda and Seoul Incheon are reduced.
Air India says it is committed to restoring its full schedule “as soon as practicable”.
The reduction in flights comes after the deadly accident involving one of Air India’s 787 aircraft on June 12.
The fatal accident involved a 12-year-old 787-8 (VT-ANB), which crashed after taking off from Ahmedabad at 13:38 local time.
Powered by twin GE Aerospace GEnx turbofans, the jet was carrying 242 passengers and crew. All but one died in the crash.
Investigations into the cause of the accident are ongoing and no details have been released so far.
Japanese officials recently ordered the country’s carriers to inspect their Boeing 787s following the Air India crash.
