The week began with a Boeing 787 aircraft operated by Air India being grounded after a pilot reported irregular behaviour involving the fuel control switch following a London-to-Bengaluru flight. According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), the crew observed during engine start that the switch did not remain latched in the run position when light pressure was applied on two occasions. The switch stabilised on a third attempt, and the flight continued under monitoring.
Air India informed the regulator and initiated checks, while Boeing supported the review. Subsequent inspections conducted in the presence of DGCA officials found no defect when the switch was operated according to recommended procedures, with the regulator concluding that movement occurred when handled incorrectly. The DGCA instructed the airline to circulate operational guidance to flight crews.
The incident occurred months after the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) released its preliminary report into the June 2025 crash of an Air India Boeing 787 near Ahmedabad. The AAIB’s initial findings had identified movement of fuel switches shortly after take-off; however, the report did not establish direct causation between the switch and the crash.
Also Read: DGCA clears Air India Dreamliner fuel control switches
The CCI noted that IndiGo had cancelled approximately 4,900 flights, representing nearly 35 percent of its scheduled domestic capacity that month, and formed a prima facie view that such large-scale cancellations could amount to restricting service availability under provisions of the Competition Act. The case originated from a passenger complaint filed in Mumbai.
The following day, The Times of India reported, citing DGCA traffic data, that 16.2 lakh domestic passengers were affected in December 2025 due to aircraft or crew unavailability associated with IndiGo operations. Of these, 9.8 lakh were linked to cancellations and 6.4 lakh to delays exceeding two hours.
The same dataset showed tens of thousands of passengers affected across Air India and Air India Express during the period. The report said the airline spent about Rs 22.7 crore on refunds, alternate bookings, and passenger facilitation during the month, while declining to disclose how many passengers ultimately received compensation. IndiGo told regulators at a late January review meeting that operations were expected to stabilise after flight duty time limitation relaxations end on February 10, citing pilot availability.
InterGlobe Aviation’s shares closed at Rs 4,901 apiece on Friday.
The update followed the announcement in the Union Budget for 2026–27 of a Seaplane Viability Gap Funding scheme aimed at supporting operations by addressing cost and revenue gaps and encouraging connectivity and tourism access through water-based aviation.
In the Rajya Sabha, the ministry said a Safran engine maintenance facility inaugurated in Hyderabad had the capacity to service hundreds of engines annually and that Air India and IndiGo had begun work on major maintenance facilities in Bengaluru. The reply also outlined tax and regulatory adjustments intended to support growth of the domestic maintenance sector and referenced projections placing the maintenance, repair, and overhaul (MRO) market at about $4 billion by 2031.
The company said it had begun receiving engines and was working with the Indian Air Force on delivery schedules while maintaining financial-year guidance. Deliveries of the Tejas Mk1A fighter jets to the Indian Air Force have been affected by delays in engine supply from GE Aerospace.
The collaboration focuses on aircraft capable of operating on both land and water, aligning with proposals supporting seaplane connectivity and regional access initiatives, as outlined in the Union Budget.
The airline said the lounge forms part of broader network and product development initiatives as it expands premium offerings.
First Published: Feb 06, 2026, 17:27
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