Technical incidents affecting Air India flights rose sharply in January, reaching their highest level in at least 14 months, Reuters reported citing an internal document submitted by the airline to the government. The spike highlighted the operational strain facing the carrier as it attempts a large-scale turnaround while dealing with fleet constraints, regulatory scrutiny and supply chain disruptions.
According to the document reviewed by Reuters, Air India recorded 1.09 technical incidents per 1,000 flights in January, a fourfold increase from 0.26 in December 2024. The airline operated more than 17,500 flights during the month and reported 23 technical incidents across its domestic and international operations. At least 21 of these cases were formally investigated.
The incidents included engine stall warnings, problems related to flight control and hydraulics, as well as engine oil and fuel leaks. Five cases involved fuel or oil leakage. In one instance, a Dubai-Mumbai flight was found to have low engine oil levels upon arrival. Another incident — on January 12 — involved a Delhi-Dubai flight, which returned shortly after take-off due to a technical issue related to onboard systems.
The document noted that the incidents occurred across both Airbus and Boeing aircraft types in the airline’s fleet.
Air India introducing improvement systems
Air India said it is introducing “systemic improvements across flight operations, training, engineering quality and procedural oversight” to prevent recurrence. In a statement to Reuters, the airline added it has launched a comprehensive programme to strengthen technical reliability, increased critical spare parts inventory by more than 30% and made capital investments in engineering infrastructure and tooling to improve aircraft availability and reduce disruptions.
The developments come as the airline remains under heightened scrutiny following last year’s fatal crash that killed 260 people. Since then, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has intensified oversight. In December, Air India had acknowledged the need for urgent improvements in “process discipline, communication and compliance culture”.
82.5% Air India aircraft reviewed had recurring technical defects
Separate data presented by the civil aviation ministry to Parliament this month showed that 82.5 percent of the 166 Air India aircraft reviewed since January 2025 had recurring technical defects, compared with 36.5 percent for market leader IndiGo. The ministry did not provide detailed breakdowns.
Operational irregularities also increased in the month of January. Incidents such as rejected take-offs, deviations from assigned altitude and incorrect configuration during take-off stood at 0.29 per 1,000 flights, more than double December levels. However, the airline noted that operational incidents have shown a declining trend in recent months overall.