The Supreme Court of India is currently hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) regarding the safety of Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft following a fatal crash in June 2025. Advocate Prashant Bhushan, representing the petitioner, has argued that flying in a Boeing 787 poses a risk to passengers, citing potential system failures in the aircraft. The court, however, has cautioned against creating widespread panic and emphasized the importance of avoiding the impression that the PIL is simply a conflict between airlines.
The PIL was filed by the Safety Matters Foundation, an aviation safety NGO, seeking an independent, court-monitored investigation into the Air India Flight AI171 crash that occurred on June 12, 2025, in Ahmedabad. The crash, involving a Boeing 787 Dreamliner flying from Ahmedabad to London, resulted in 260 fatalities after the plane crashed into a college building shortly after takeoff. This was the first fatal incident involving a Boeing 787 since it began service in 2011 and marked the deadliest aviation disaster of the 2020s. The petition raises concerns about the impartiality and transparency of the investigation conducted by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB).
During the proceedings, Bhushan highlighted that "several system failures" had occurred after the crash, and that the pilots' association had called for the grounding of the Boeing 787 fleet. However, Justice Surya Kant cautioned against "pre-judging" the issue, stating, "It should not look like a fight between airlines". The Supreme Court has taken note of other petitions related to the incident. The court had previously issued notices to the central government, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), and the AAIB, seeking their responses to the concerns raised.
The aftermath of the crash has seen increased scrutiny of Boeing 787 aircraft, with technical snags and a bomb threat causing three India-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliners to return to their origin airports within a 36-hour period in June. The Supreme Court has made it clear that the pilot of the crashed Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner is not to blame for the accident. The court stated that "Nobody can blame him for anything". This declaration came after a plea filed by the pilot's father, seeking an independent probe into the incident.
The investigation into the crash is ongoing, and its findings could have global implications for the Boeing 787 fleet, as there are over 1,000 such aircraft in service worldwide. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) from the United States and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) are also involved in the investigation.
