Air India Dubai-Kochi flight diverted due to 'loss of pressure'
According to sources, an Air India Dreamliner flight from Dubai to Kochi was diverted to Mumbai after the captain reported a "loss of pressure." As per reports, the Boeing 787 aircraft AI-934 landed safely with oxygen masks being deployed after the cabin air pressure drop was detected. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has assigned two senior officers to probe the incident.
Why does this story matter?
Several Indian aircraft have reportedly experienced similar incidents in the past few days; all are under investigation by the DGCA, the aviation regulator. India is the third-largest domestic aviation market in the world, set to overtake the UK by 2024. However, the recent mishaps are seen as a setback to the growing sector, which has emerged as one of the fastest-growing industries lately.
Official statement over the development
According to a statement issued by Air India on Thursday, the flight was redirected to Mumbai due to a technical issue. "The Boeing 787 aircraft landed safely in Mumbai at 1912 hours (7:12 pm) with 247 passengers and crew. An alternate aircraft is being arranged to carry passengers from Mumbai to Kochi. The matter is being probed by DGCA," Air India reportedly stated.
Several flights recently have been diverted due to technical snags
According to reports, the DGCA has grounded the affected Dreamliner and de-rostered the crew pending an inquiry. On Sunday, IndiGo's Sharjah-Hyderabad flight was diverted to Karachi after the pilot reported a technical snag. Similarly, on July 5, a SpiceJet Boeing 737 Max flight from Delhi to Dubai was diverted to Karachi due to an aircraft indicator light malfunction.
Fliers rebuke Indian airlines for poor service, behavior
A survey released by Bloomberg in May said air travelers were getting increasingly dissatisfied with Indian airlines' poor services and behavior. The report said that nearly 80% of the 15,000 airline customers polled by LocalCircles feel that Indian carriers are compromising passenger comfort. The survey also indicated that cutting corners on services by the airlines was happening in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Loss of cabin pressure grave threat to flight safety
A loss of cabin pressure poses a grave threat to flight safety, and pilots are trained to react swiftly. Air India was recently taken over by Tata Sons. The Tatas set up Tata Airlines in 1932, which was renamed Air India in 1946 and was taken over by the government in 1953. Last year, the government sold Air India to the Tata Group.
