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Parliamentary Committee Takes Action on Air Safety

New Delhi: The Parliamentary Committee on Transport has summoned executives from Boeing, representatives from Air India, the Civil Aviation Secretary, and officials from the DGCA to discuss critical air safety concerns following the recent Boeing Dreamliner crash shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad airport. This meeting is anticipated to take place in the first week of July.

Sources indicate that there are significant concerns regarding "multiple shortcomings" in the aviation sector, particularly regarding aircraft maintenance. The committee will also examine the recent spate of helicopter accidents occurring on the Char Dham pilgrimage route.

Topics of discussion will encompass the responsibilities of the Director General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), aircraft maintenance protocols, and the psychological well-being of pilots, as per insider information.

The findings from this committee are expected to be presented in the upcoming session of Parliament.

Prior to this meeting, the committee plans to conduct a consultation in Gangtok to evaluate air and road connectivity to northeastern states, with an emphasis on enhancing tourism. Committee members are likely to travel on an Air India flight to gain direct insights into the airline's operations.

In response to the Boeing crash, the DGCA has mandated the immediate suspension of three senior Air India officials, including a divisional vice president, from all duties related to flight crew scheduling and rostering. This marks the first disciplinary action following the incident.

The DGCA has also instructed the Tata Group-owned airline to commence internal disciplinary proceedings against these officials without delay, warning that failure to comply could lead to severe repercussions, including the potential revocation of the airline's operating license.

Meanwhile, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has initiated an analysis of the black box data retrieved from the crash site of Air India Flight AI171.

"The black boxes were transported from Ahmedabad to Delhi by an IAF aircraft under strict security on June 24, 2025. The front black box arrived at the AAIB lab in Delhi at 1400 hrs on June 24, 2025," an official statement revealed on Thursday.

"On the evening of June 24, 2025, a team led by the DG of AAIB, along with technical experts from AAIB and the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), commenced the data extraction process. The Crash Protection Module (CPM) from the front black box was successfully retrieved, and on June 25, 2025, the memory module was accessed and its data downloaded at the AAIB lab," the statement added.