A recent LocalCircles survey spanning 15,000+ respondents across 307 districts found that 79% of Air India flyers reported aircraft quality and maintenance issues in the past year—up sharply from 55% last year, marking a significant 24-percentage-point increase
Survey Highlights & Rising Complaints
- 79% of passengers flagged maintenance concerns.
- Other issues also rose: baggage handling (48%), in-flight entertainment (36%), and customer service (31%)
In some categories, Air India made progress—timeliness complaints dropped from 69% to 48%, and staff attitude issues eased from 38% to 31%
Regulatory Scrutiny Intensifies
These concerns come amid increased oversight by the DGCA, which issued a show-cause notice to Air India for duty limit violations and inadequate crew scheduling compliance. Recent mid-air returns and emergency landings—including flights to Hong Kong, Ranchi, and Ho Chi Minh City—underscore the gravity of operational issues
Underlying Causes
Experts suggest several contributing factors:
- Aging fleet and deferred maintenance on legacy aircraft
- Higher maintenance workload due to aircraft shortage and stretched schedules
- Inadequate in-house maintenance—though Tata Group is working to bring more work under its control with group-wide engineering support
What It Means for Passengers
The survey spotlights persistent trust deficits in aircraft upkeep and service quality. While punctuality and staff behavior have improved, reliability concerns could erode customer confidence. Enhanced transparency and faster resolution mechanisms through customer channels and regulatory bodies remain critical.
What’s Next for Air India
- Operational overhaul: Focus on robust maintenance protocols and crew adherence to duty regulations.
- Fleet refresh: Accelerated delivery of new aircraft (A350s, 787s) will help reduce dependency on aging jets.
- Regulatory response: DGCA and CCPA might collaborate to closely monitor ongoing complaints and maintenance standards.
Conclusion
The rise to 79% passenger-reported maintenance issues highlights deep operational challenges. As Air India navigates fleet upgrades and intensified scrutiny, addressing aircraft quality and safety must be its top priority.
