Loading
Richard Aboulafia, managing director of AeroDynamic Advisory, told this masthead: “1200 jets and 16 years of operational experience for the type … doesn’t mean there’s no chance of a design flaw, but given many millions of hours [of flying], that kind of thing usually gets uncovered.”
“Besides, video footage of the take-off seems to indicate something completely different,” said the US-based analyst.
The involvement of the latest generation Dreamliner by Boeing provides a fresh challenge for the storied US aircraft manufacturer, after two fatal crashes of a version of its smaller, bestselling 737 MAX, one in Indonesia in 2018 and another in Ethiopia in 2019.
After the second crash, MAX jets were grounded worldwide until the company redesigned the system. Boeing has been on the backfoot in the global eye since.
After a 2024 midair emergency involving another Boeing 737 Max, the US Federal Aviation Administration imposed a production cap on the number of planes per month that Boeing could manufacture.
US President Donald Trump has been a vocal critic of Boeing. Credit: Bloomberg
Boeing posted a loss of $US11.8 billion in 2024, bringing its total losses since 2019 to more than $US35 billion. The company’s financial problems were compounded by a strike by machinists who assemble the planes at its factories, which hampered Boeing’s delivery capability. For the first three months of 2025, Boeing reported a narrower loss of $US31 million compared with the previous year.
Chief executive Kelly Ortberg cancelled plans to attend the crucial Paris Air show next week.
“Our deepest condolences go out to the loved ones of the passengers and crew on board Air India Flight 171, as well as everyone affected in Ahmedabad,” he said.
Loading
While aviation officials stressed the need for investigations to play out, US President Donald Trump offered pointers to Indian authorities on possible causes of the disaster.
After sending his condolences, Trump said: “I gave them a couple of pointers. I said, ‘Maybe you look at this,’ you know, we saw the plane, it looked like it was flying pretty well, it didn’t look like there was an explosion, just looked like the engines maybe lost power.”
Trump has earlier expressed frustration with Boeing over the pace of the production of the Air Force One presidential planes.
So far, US officials said on Friday (AEST) there was no indication from the crash evidence so far that would require the grounding of the Boeing 787.
US Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy said investigators “have to get on the ground and take a look. But again right now it’d be way too premature”.
The Thursday crash of the Air India flight has also weighed on the stock of GE Aerospace, the maker of the engines used in Air India flight. Shares in the company fell 2.2 per cent.
A spokesman for GE Aerospace said: “We have activated our emergency response team, and we are prepared to support our customer and the investigation.”
The 787 Dreamliner was the first commercial aircraft built primarily from lighter carbon-composite materials, allowing it to offer fuel savings of up to 20 per cent. The plane’s range of 13,530 kilometres gives airlines flexibility to open new non-stop routes, in the hyper-competitive business.
In 2013, the Dreamliner was grounded for four months after two separate incidents of lithium-ion batteries erupting into smoke and fire. Boeing dispatched 300 teams to retrofit an improved battery cell. The planes were cleared for flight again by the FAA and the issue did not diminish robust demand for the 787. Today, 1189 Dreamliners are in service around the world, with nearly 900 more on order.
Loading
Boeing has also been drawn into the US-China trade war. In March 2019, China’s aviation regulator was the first in the world to ground the 737 MAX. In April, a Boeing jet was rejected from China after at least one Chinese airline halted deliveries due to US tariffs.
Boeing had been crawling back from a series of crashes and questions about its safety record and leadership. These crises have compounded Boeing’s struggle to supply airline clients with the planes they need.
After years of supply disruptions, difficulty in sourcing parts, and the impact of COVID, the backlog of planes to be delivered to airlines exceeds 17,000, according to the International Air Transport Association.
