One year after Air India flight AI171 crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad, killing 241 people onboard, the airline and aviation regulators say a series of measures introduced since the accident have strengthened oversight of aircraft operations, fleet reliability and crew fatigue management.
The crash, one of the deadliest aviation accidents involving an Indian carrier in recent decades, prompted heightened scrutiny of Air India’s operations and accelerated regulatory efforts to strengthen safety monitoring across the sector.
For Air India, the accident came at a crucial stage in the Tata Group’s turnaround of the airline. While fleet renewal and network expansion were already underway, safety and operational reliability moved to the centre of the transformation effort following the crash.
The airline undertook detailed inspections of its Boeing 787-8 and 787-9 fleet under the supervision of the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), while introducing additional pre-flight checks and maintenance reviews. According to Air India, the inspections did not identify any safety concerns. Separate inspections of fuel control switch mechanisms on Boeing 737 and Boeing 787 aircraft also yielded no findings.
Engineering Retrofits
Since then, the carrier has expanded fleet reliability programmes and incorporated more than 35 engineering and reliability improvements into its Boeing 787 retrofit programme. It has also strengthened maintenance planning and spare-parts support aimed at reducing technical disruptions and improving aircraft availability.
The response extended beyond aircraft operations. Air India said it deployed a network of 265 psychologists to support employees and their families in the aftermath of the accident, while more than 900 cabin crew members received structured mental health assistance. The airline has also expanded its risk-based audit framework, with its Delhi hub now undergoing audits twice a year and other stations audited annually.
Regulators, meanwhile, focused on strengthening oversight mechanisms rather than introducing sweeping structural changes. Following the crash, the DGCA ordered enhanced inspections of Air India’s Boeing 787 fleet covering engine controls, fuel monitoring systems, hydraulic systems and take-off parameters. Additional pre-departure checks were also mandated for flights originating from India.
Regulatory Overhauls
The regulator has since accelerated implementation of safety management system (SMS) oversight in line with global practices, placing greater emphasis on risk identification and safety monitoring. Updated flight duty time limitation rules have introduced tighter controls on duty hours, night operations and mandatory rest periods, while requiring airlines to strengthen fatigue reporting under formal fatigue risk management systems.
Separately, the government notified the Aircraft (Demolition of Obstructions Caused by Buildings and Trees) Rules, 2026, replacing the earlier 1994 framework. The rules empower authorities to remove structures and obstructions that violate prescribed height restrictions around airports and are considered a risk to flight safety.
According to the International Air Transport Association, airlines operated 38.7 million flights worldwide in 2025, recording 51 accidents, including eight fatal accidents that resulted in 394 deaths. The AI171 crash alone accounted for more than 60% of global onboard aviation fatalities during the year.
Industry executives say the legacy of AI171 will ultimately be measured by whether the changes introduced over the past year translate into sustained improvements in reliability, safety performance and passenger confidence.