Britain’s aviation safety regulator, the UK Civil Aviation Authority, has formally sought an explanation from Air India after one of its Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft departed London with a fuel control switch that was later flagged as potentially faulty and subsequently grounded upon arrival in India, according to a report by Reuters.
In a letter issued earlier this week, the UK regulator warned the airline that it could face regulatory or enforcement action if it does not provide a complete and satisfactory explanation within a seven-day timeframe. The correspondence underscores the seriousness with which the authority views any possible lapse in aircraft airworthiness before departure.
The issue came to light after an Air India pilot reported a concern involving a fuel control switch on a Boeing 787-8 following the completion of Flight AI132 on February 2. After the aircraft landed in Bengaluru, the airline removed it from active service and initiated precautionary safety inspections. Air India later stated that the switches were re-examined as part of standard safety checks and that no defects were ultimately detected, adding that it would submit a detailed response to the British regulator.
According to the Civil Aviation Authority, such inquiries form part of routine safety oversight procedures whenever potential technical irregularities are reported. However, the regulator has asked the airline to provide a comprehensive account of all maintenance and inspection work carried out before the aircraft was approved for the London–India flight, and to clearly demonstrate how its airworthiness was assured prior to departure.
The CAA also cautioned that any delay, omission, or lack of clarity in Air India’s response could prompt enforcement measures that may affect parts of the airline’s fleet. While the letter itself has not been publicly released, its contents have been confirmed by multiple news agencies.
India’s aviation watchdog indicated that the issue first surfaced during engine start checks in London, when the flight crew observed that the fuel control switch failed to remain locked in the “run” position on two separate attempts. On the third attempt, the switch appeared to function normally, and the crew elected to proceed with the flight. After the aircraft landed, it was nevertheless withdrawn from service for further inspection, which authorities later said showed the switches to be operating correctly.
Fuel control switches play a critical role in regulating the flow of fuel to an aircraft’s engines and are considered essential safety components. As a result, any reported irregularity tends to attract heightened scrutiny.
The incident has drawn additional attention because similar fuel switch issues were cited in connection with last year’s fatal Air India Dreamliner crash in Gujarat, which claimed 260 lives. Aircraft manufacturer Boeing, which produces the 787 Dreamliner, has said it is cooperating with the airline but declined to comment further on the latest development.
The UK regulator has also asked Air India to conduct a thorough root-cause analysis of the incident and submit a preventive action plan to ensure that comparable issues do not arise across its Boeing 787 fleet in the future. In an internal communication circulated midweek, Air India said it had inspected fuel control switches across all its Dreamliner aircraft and found no abnormalities.
