Datanomics: Boeing and a spate of mishaps amid mounting safety scares

A fuel switch scare on an Air India Dreamliner renews focus on Boeing's safety record, as data shows rising incidents and powerplant-related failures globally

An Air India Boeing 787-8 was grounded in Bengaluru on February 2. There were initial reports of a fuel-switch cutoff in the plane.  The Directorate General of Civil Aviation and Air India, however, later said that they didn’t find any issues during checks. As of March 2025, India operated 181 Boeing aircraft, of which 35 belonged to the 787 family. Between 2019 and 2024, 906 flight accidents occurred globally, of which Boeing flights were involved in 26 per cent cases. In India, seven Boeing accidents took place during this period.

 

Tech glitches with Boeing flights growing in India 

 

Total number of incidents (flaws that could affect aircraft safety) per 10,000 flying hours rose sharply between 2021 and 2023 — from 0.9 to 15.5 in case of Boeing B777, from 3.3 to 13.7 in Boeing B787, and from 8.6 to 10.9 in Bombardier Q400.

 

 

Every fifth Boeing flight is a B787

 

In India, Boeing’s fleet composition shifted during 2022-23 to 2024-25 in favour of B737 and B777. The share of B787 declined slightly, but still was almost 20 per cent.

 

 

Half of global accidents involve B737