An Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner has been grounded after a pilot reported that the aircraft’s left fuel control switch failed to remain in the “run” position and twice slipped to “cutoff” during engine start-up, the airline said.
The aircraft, operating flight AI 132 from London’s Heathrow Airport to Bengaluru, was taken out of service as a precaution. An Air India spokesperson said the issue was flagged by one of the pilots and the aircraft was immediately grounded to allow a detailed inspection.
The airline said it has roped in the aircraft’s manufacturer to examine the problem on priority. The matter has also been reported to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India’s aviation regulator.
Air India added that it had earlier inspected fuel control switches across its entire Boeing 787 fleet following a DGCA directive and found no faults at the time.
Reiterating its safety commitment, the airline said passenger and crew safety remains its highest priority.
The incident comes in the backdrop of a July 2025 preliminary investigation report into the Air India Dreamliner crash in Ahmedabad, which killed 260 people. The report revealed that the aircraft’s engine fuel control switches had briefly been turned off seconds after takeoff, cutting fuel supply to the engines.
