Air India Grounds Dreamliner Due to Fuel Control Issue

• The fuel control switches being investigated regulate fuel flow to engines and were implicated in last year's Air India Dreamliner crash that killed 260 people when switches flipped simultaneously, starving engines of fuel
• Air India operates 33 Dreamliners and had previously checked fuel control switches across its entire Boeing 787 fleet following a regulator directive, finding no issues at that time
• The airline is now working with Boeing 'on a priority basis' and has informed India's aviation regulator about the latest incident

Summary: Air India Grounds Boeing Dreamliner Over Fuel Control Switch Defect

Key Development:

Air India has grounded a Boeing 787 Dreamliner on February 2nd after a pilot reported a potential defect with the aircraft's fuel control switch. The incident occurred after the plane landed in Bengaluru following a flight from London.

Critical Context:

The fuel control switch is at the center of an ongoing investigation into a deadly crash last year involving an Air India Dreamliner that killed 260 people in Gujarat state. The preliminary report on that crash found that engine fuel cutoff switches had flipped almost simultaneously, starving engines of fuel.

Fleet and Company Details:

• Air India operates 33 Dreamliners according to Flightradar24
• The airline is owned by Tata Group and Singapore Airlines
• Air India has informed India's aviation regulator about the incident
• Boeing confirmed it is supporting Air India with the investigation

Regulatory Response:

Following last year's deadly crash, India's aviation regulator issued a directive requiring Air India to inspect fuel control switches on all Boeing 787 aircraft. The airline stated it completed those checks and found no issues at that time.

Market Implications:

This incident intensifies scrutiny on both Air India's safety protocols and Boeing's Dreamliner fuel systems. The grounding comes amid heightened regulatory oversight following the fatal 2025 crash, potentially impacting Air India's operational capacity and raising questions about broader fleet safety. The fuel switch defect represents a recurring technical concern that could trigger additional regulatory requirements and fleet-wide inspections across the aviation industry.