Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner line number 35 test registered N1015 (later became VT-ANH) at the India Aviation show, Hyderabad March 2012. Photo copyright Devesh Agarwal.
Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner line number 35 test registered N1015 (later became VT-ANH) at the India Aviation show, Hyderabad March 2012.

Japan ‘bans’ Air India’s Dreamliners

Japanese government irritated by Air India’s inefficiency

About three weeks ago I wrote debunking the myth being created by the Air India management and their political bosses about the fuel efficient Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft being the saviour of the beleaguered national carrier. Read the Op-Ed piece here.

In June no less than the Indian civil aviation minister, Ajit Singh, announced that Air India would soon operate the Dreamliner to Japan. Very logical. The Japanese are the largest operators of the 787 Dreamliner in the world with both their major airlines, All Nippon Airways and Japan Airlines being the launch and second customer of this aircraft. Japan Airlines was the first airline to bring the Dreamliner to India on regular commercial service.

And yet, Air India is unable to fly its Dreamliners to either of its Japanese destinations of Tokyo or Osaka.

Why? you ask. Simple. The wonderfully efficient Air India has failed to provide the Japanese civil aviation authorities with information they required about the modifications carried out on its Dreamliners post the battery fiasco that grounded all Dreamliners globally. Failing to receive a response to their numerous reminders, the Japanese are refusing to give Air India permission to operate the Dreamliner till they receive the information.

Sources inside the airline have told media, so irritated are the Japanese with Air India’s sloth and unresponsive attitude, they have stopped interacting with the airline and are instead routing their communications through India’s civil aviation regulator, the DGCA, another bastion of speedy operations.

Quite obviously the airline has no comment.

But your comments are always welcome.

About Devesh Agarwal

A electronics and automotive product management, marketing and branding expert, he was awarded a silver medal at the Lockheed Martin innovation competition 2010. He is ranked 6th on Mashable's list of aviation pros on Twitter and in addition to Bangalore Aviation, he has contributed to leading publications like Aviation Week, Conde Nast Traveller India, The Economic Times, and The Mint (a Wall Street Journal content partner). He remains a frequent flier and shares the good, the bad, and the ugly about the Indian aviation industry without fear or favour.

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