Indian airlines reported 183 technical faults in their aircraft this year till 23 July, even as the government noted a marginal decline in such incidents compared to the previous year. The figures were shared in Parliament on Monday against the backdrop of heightened concern over aviation safety, following the deadly Air India crash in June.
In a written reply to the Rajya Sabha, Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu revealed that 421 technical faults had been reported in 2024, which was lower than the 448 recorded in 2023. The count was significantly higher in 2022 and 2021, with 528 and 514 cases, respectively.
Naidu further stated, “A total of 2,094 investigations has been carried out against serious defect/snags reported during last 5 years (up to June 2025).”
The response comes weeks after an Air India Boeing 787-8 aircraft crashed shortly after take-off from Ahmedabad on 12 June, killing 260 people on board. The aircraft was en route to London Gatwick. The tragedy prompted regulatory authorities to intensify safety checks.
“Post-accident, DGCA enhanced the check and inspection of the critical component of safety assurance in order to identify and rectify immediate systemic issues,” Naidu informed the House.
Also read: Air India improving, strengthening safety standards, claims CEO
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), according to the minister, continues to operate under structured civil aviation regulations aligned with the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) and European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) standards. These regulations, he added, are updated regularly to reflect evolving safety norms.
Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol, in a separate written reply, pointed out that there had been a nearly 6 per cent drop in technical faults in 2024 compared to 2023, indicating a “positive trend” in aircraft maintenance standards.
Passenger complaints, however, continue to remain high. Naidu reported that 3,925 grievances were lodged with the DGCA so far this year, while the tally for 2024 stood at 4,016. The regulator received 5,513 complaints in 2023, a steep rise from 3,782 in 2022 and 4,131 in 2021.
While the figures show minor improvements in some areas, the data reflects persistent systemic issues in India’s civil aviation landscape, particularly concerning aircraft maintenance and customer service.
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