Short answer: Air India remains under unusually close scrutiny after the crash of Flight AI171 in June 2025. It is a current IATA member, India holds FAA IASA Category 1 status, and Air India is not on the EU Air Safety List. However, the AI171 investigation is still open and no final cause has been published.
For a traveller, the useful approach is neither “nothing is wrong” nor “the airline is automatically unsafe.” Check the current oversight, understand what investigators have actually established, then review the operating carrier and live status of your flight.
IOSA
Air India is a current IATA member. IATA requires eligible member airlines to maintain IOSA registration.
Regulator
India is listed as FAA IASA Category 1, meaning its civil aviation authority meets ICAO oversight standards under the FAA assessment.
Open investigation
AAIB said on 12 June 2026 that its technical, operational, organisational and human-factor work was continuing.
What the current checks show
| Check | Current position | What it tells you |
|---|---|---|
| IATA / IOSA | Current IATA member | The airline must maintain IOSA registration while eligible for the audit. |
| FAA IASA | India: Category 1 | This assesses India’s regulator, not Air India by itself. |
| EU Air Safety List | Not listed | Air India is not subject to an EU operating ban or restriction. |
| AI171 investigation | Ongoing | No final cause or safety recommendations have been published. |
Major fatal accidents in the current Air India group record
| Date | Flight | Operator and event | Fatalities |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 May 2010 | IX812 | Air India Express; runway overrun at Mangalore | 158 |
| 7 Aug 2020 | IX1344 | Air India Express; runway overrun at Kozhikode | 21 |
| 12 Jun 2025 | AI171 | Air India; crashed after takeoff from Ahmedabad; investigation ongoing | 260, including 19 on the ground |
Air India Express is a separate operating airline within the Air India group. Its accidents should not be described as mainline Air India accidents, but they are relevant when travellers are booking an itinerary sold under the wider group.
AI171: what is established and what is not
On 12 June 2025, Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 flying from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed shortly after takeoff. Of the 242 people on board, one survived. The official toll was 241 people on board and 19 people on the ground.
The AAIB preliminary report recorded that both engine fuel-control switches moved from RUN to CUTOFF, one second apart, shortly after liftoff. The cockpit recording captured one pilot asking the other why he had cut off the fuel; the other said he had not. The switches were subsequently moved back to RUN, but the aircraft did not regain enough thrust or altitude.
What has not been established: why the switches moved, who or what caused the movement, and the final chain of causes. The AAIB said in June 2026 that the investigation was continuing. Any stronger conclusion is speculation until the final report is published.
How to read the AI171 evidence
India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation ordered enhanced inspections of Air India’s Boeing 787 fleet after the crash and reviewed the airline’s maintenance and operational performance. Air India later said its 787-8 and 787-9 inspections found no issues. That is useful evidence, but it is not a substitute for the independent accident investigation.
DGCA enforcement actions and fines show that the regulator is identifying and penalising compliance failures. A fine is not, by itself, proof that a particular flight is unsafe; repeated findings are still relevant when assessing the airline’s safety culture and oversight.
How Air India compares with common alternatives
Air India’s official fleet sheet listed 185 mainline aircraft as of 18 June 2026, excluding Air India Express. Planespotters.net calculated the active mainline fleet’s average age at 8.7 years on 16 July 2026.
| Carrier | Home regulator | IATA member | EU Air Safety List | Avg. fleet age |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air India | DGCA, India | Yes | Not listed | 8.7 years |
| IndiGo | DGCA, India | Yes | Not listed | 4.7 years |
| Etihad Airways | GCAA, UAE | Yes | Not listed | 8.4 years |
| Emirates | GCAA, UAE | Yes | Not listed | 11.1 years |
| Qatar Airways | QCAA, Qatar | Yes | Not listed | 10.3 years |
Fleet ages use Planespotters.net’s active-aircraft methodology: Air India and Qatar Airways were updated 16 July 2026, Etihad 8 July, Emirates 18 July and IndiGo 23 June. Figures change as aircraft enter or leave service.
This is not a safety ranking. Air India’s average is close to Etihad’s, older than IndiGo’s and younger than the Qatar Airways and Emirates averages shown here. Its distinguishing current issue is the still-open AI171 investigation and the regulatory scrutiny surrounding it.
What travellers should check
- Confirm the operating carrier. Air India and Air India Express have separate operating certificates, fleets and flight numbers.
- Check live status. Review Air India flight status before leaving for the airport.
- Check aircraft and schedule changes. Equipment can change, so do not book solely for a particular aircraft type.
- Compare your options. Review baggage, connection time, rebooking terms and total journey time—not only fare.
Compare current Air India itineraries and routes to Delhi, Mumbai and Dubai on Wego.
FAQ
Is Air India safe to fly in 2026?
It retains the main current international audit and regulator credentials, but it is under close scrutiny after AI171. No airline is risk-free, and the final AI171 cause is not yet known.
What caused the AI171 crash?
No final cause has been established. The preliminary report recorded both fuel-control switches moving to CUTOFF after takeoff, but did not determine why.
Did Air India inspect its Boeing 787 fleet?
Yes. DGCA ordered enhanced inspections after AI171, and Air India later said no issues were found in its detailed 787-8 and 787-9 inspections.
Are Air India and Air India Express the same airline?
No. They are separate operating airlines within the same group. Check which carrier operates your flight.
Sources
- AAIB: AI171 preliminary report
- AAIB: AI171 interim statement, 12 June 2026
- Government of India: DGCA review of Air India and Air India Express
- Air India: post-AI171 inspections and operational measures
- IATA: Air India member record
- IATA: IOSA programme
- FAA: IASA country results
- European Commission: EU Air Safety List
- Air India: fleet sheet, June 2026
- Planespotters.net: Air India fleet
- Planespotters.net: IndiGo fleet
- Planespotters.net: Etihad Airways fleet
- Planespotters.net: Emirates fleet
- Planespotters.net: Qatar Airways fleet
Disclaimer: We’ve worked hard to make sure the information in this article is as accurate and up to date as possible at the time of publishing. Travel details such as prices, schedules, visa rules, and entry requirements can change at short notice, so it remains your responsibility to verify the current details with official sources before you book or travel. Wego accepts no liability for any loss or inconvenience arising from the use of this content.
