PIL Filed In Supreme Court Seeking Suspension Of Air India’s Boeing Fleet Pending Security Audit

A public interest litigation has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking suspension of Air India's Boeing fleet within two weeks, pending a comprehensive security and safety audit, reported NDTV. This follows the fatal crash in Ahmedabad on June 12 that killed at least 270 people.

The PIL, filed by Ajay Bansal, a Supreme Court advocate who was also a recent passenger on an Air India international flight, urges the central government, Air India, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation and the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security to immediately enforce stricter regulatory oversight, as per the report.

The petition calls for surprise audits across entire fleet of Air India and other commercial airlines operating in India, with public disclosure of findings and swift corrective action or penalties for any lapses.

Bansal, who flew from Delhi to Chicago on May 20, 2025, described a host of service failures on his own flight—including defective seats and in-flight entertainment services—which he claims are symptomatic of larger systemic issues plaguing Air India's fleet.

“That Air India's service and safety failures jeopardise passenger lives and comfort, contravene DGCA safety audits, and breach statutory duties under Section 5 & 7 of the Aircraft Act, 1934,” the petition states.

The PIL further seeks the formulation of new operational guidelines mandating stringent and periodic checks on all aircraft systems—ranging from engines and airframes to cabin equipment such as seats, entertainment units, and climate control systems—aligned with international safety benchmarks.

Raising grave concerns about repeated safety lapses, the petition also cites the DGCA's August 2023 internal audit, which flagged multiple discrepancies in Air India's safety management systems. The PIL points to viral social media videos and public complaints highlighting ongoing technical snags and substandard service well before the recent crash.

“This is not an isolated tragedy, but the consequence of chronic neglect, regulatory laxity, and an airline culture that has prioritised operational expedience over passenger safety,” the petition reads. It demands immediate grounding of unfit aircraft to avert further disasters and restore public confidence.

The Supreme Court is expected to consider the matter urgently given the scale of the recent tragedy and the potential risk to public safety.

An email sent to Air India remained unanswered.