DGCA Clears Air India 787 Fuel Switch Concerns

India's aviation regulator has dismissed concerns over a reported fuel control switch issue on an Air India Boeing 787-8 aircraft, stating that no technical malfunction occurred during a flight from London to Bengaluru on February 1, 2026.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) issued a clarification on Sunday regarding flight AI 132, operated by the Boeing 787-8 registered as VT-ANX. During engine startup at London's Heathrow Airport, the flight crew noted that the left engine's fuel control switch did not remain latched in the RUN position on the first two attempts when light vertical pressure was applied. On the third try, the switch latched correctly and stayed stable. The crew performed a physical verification to confirm it was fully engaged before proceeding. No abnormal engine parameters, warnings, or system messages appeared during startup or the rest of the flight, which carried more than 200 passengers and landed safely in Bengaluru without further issues.

Upon arrival, the crew documented the observation in the post-flight defect report. Air India then grounded the aircraft for inspection and consulted Boeing for guidance. Engineering teams, following...