The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, a division of the Ministry of Civil Aviation, is looking at several aspects of the crash. Separately, a high-level committee, headed by the home secretary, has been formed to examine the crash and suggest policy measures to prevent such accidents in the future.
Officials said both the flight data recorder and cockpit voice recorder have been located and secured, which will be key in the investigation.
Aviation regulator, meanwhile, has ordered Air India to conduct enhanced safety inspections of all of its 33 Dreamliner fleet. Air India said it has completed such checks on nine of the aircraft. Such checks, however, are leading to higher turnaround time and delays.
This tragedy comes at a sensitive time for Boeing, which is working to restore public confidence after a series of safety and production crises.
The recent deadly crash also poses a challenge for Air India, which has been striving to turn its fortunes around. After acquiring the airline in 2022, the Tata group launched a major restructuring effort, including a record order of 470 new aircraft to modernise the fleet and expand international operations. Expectations were high when Tata took over, but persistent issues with quality and service have disappointed passengers.
A travel agent noted that flight cancellations have surged following the crash, and restoring customer trust would be an uphill task for Air India.
“We have to make sure that we stay the course. Be more determined in everything we do…Our job is to get Air India into a better place, the place it deserves,” Chandrasekaran said during the meeting.
He also urged the employees to continue doing their job earnestly as their actions will determine the airline’s future. “What you do makes an airline. And the company is what its people do…Every small action that you do and is executed perfectly helps the collective thing flourish.”
