Air India Responds to Fuel Switch Fault Report on Boeing 787 Flight

Air India on Monday said it had grounded one of its Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft after a pilot reported a possible defect in the fuel control switch during pre-departure checks at London's Heathrow Airport.

The airline said the issue was reported during engine start-up on flight AI 132, scheduled to operate from Heathrow to Bengaluru. Following the pilot's report, the aircraft was immediately grounded and the service was cancelled as a precautionary safety measure.

In its statement, Air India said it is involving the aircraft manufacturer to examine the reported defect on a priority basis. The matter has also been formally communicated to India's aviation regulator, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

The airline emphasised that it had earlier carried out inspections of fuel control switches across its entire Boeing 787 fleet following a directive from the DGCA and found no technical issues at that time.

"After receiving this initial information, we have grounded the said aircraft and are involving the OEM to get the pilot's concerns checked on a priority basis. The matter has been communicated to the aviation regulator, DGCA," the airline said.

Air India reiterated that passenger and crew safety remains its highest priority and said all technical decisions are guided by safety considerations.

The DGCA has since initiated a detailed review of the incident and is analysing the report submitted by the airline as part of ongoing oversight of Dreamliner operations.