Windshield of AI Dreamliner cracks during landing at Melbourne


New Delhi, Nov 4 (PTI): In its latest series of mishaps, the windshield of a Dreamliner of Air India cracked as the plane landed at Melbourne airport today though there was no threat to about 100 people on board, airline officials said.

Air India's local manager Madhu C Mathen said the windshield of the aircraft which landed at Melbourne this morning suffered damage and a new one was being brought in tomorrow's flight.

"The new windshield will be fixed and the aircraft will be ready soon," he said, adding that the passengers were adjusted in other flights for their onward journey.

AI-311 was operating from Delhi to Sydney via Melbourne with around 80 passengers and 12 crew members.

Air India officials here said the Dreamliner was grounded at Melbourne following the incident but maintained that the cracks on the windshield caused no threat to the aircraft as these were made of very thick glass and plastic material.

"Engineers and materials (including the windshield) are being sent by AI-302 (Delhi-Sydney-Melbourne)," one of them said.

Air India sources said the airline would conduct an internal probe to find the cause of the incident, which according to some officials could have occurred during the flight.

The sources said rapid changes in outside temperature could be the reason behind the incident, adding however that the results of the inquiry should be awaited.

In January, the global Dreamliner fleet was grounded for four months following two battery fire incidents in Japanese airlines' aircraft.

There have been quite a few instances of Air India's Dreamliner fleet suffering technical glitches, including overheating of one of the plane's ovens in Kolkata in July.

A panel of Air India's Dreamliner fell off at Bangalore airport on October 12. A technical problem involving the aircraft's spoiler had led to the cancellation of a flight from Melbourne to Delhi on October 28.

  

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Comment on this article

  • Societal Web, Dubai

    Tue, Nov 05 2013

    I think flying AI is always suicidal ! If you are alive they will rip you for the baggage. Nothing else, they will kill you anyway !
    First class, be aware, you will be the first ones to get sucked out if there is a windshield collapse Mid seat are dangerous if the tires give up on you and the last seats are dangerous because you have to anxiously wait your turn, seeing what is coming. Why don't they just close like Kingfisher and let someone else handle these airlines business.

    DisAgree [1] Agree Reply Report Abuse

  • Bakh Sala, Delhi

    Tue, Nov 05 2013

    Nowadays iam really getting scared to travel by Air India though I travel by first class always but if the fault is with the aircraft itself then

    DisAgree [2] Agree [1] Reply Report Abuse

  • CONRAD JOHN TAURO, SHIRVA/UDUPI/DUBAI

    Tue, Nov 05 2013

    Dreamliner to Deathliner.

    DisAgree [2] Agree [3] Reply Report Abuse

  • Lawrence D'souza, Kalmady

    Tue, Nov 05 2013

    The wind shield cracking in the mid Air is purely the manufacture defect this has to investigated by the company and till they find out what was the cause of this incident all the dreamliner aircraft should be grounded.Last time when the 8 feet by 4 feet panel has fallen from the fuselage of the aircraft indicates the finger towards the Airframe technician but this time not..

    DisAgree Agree [4] Reply Report Abuse

  • Shakeel, Mangalore/ Kuwait

    Tue, Nov 05 2013

    Our Maharaja has become very sick. It is all due to fully corrupted Air India Managemnet.

    When i see Air India i feel like seeing to an grand father lyeing on the Bed.

    And only 80 passengers in an 300 capacity flight to Melbourne. Because of the worst service, people like to fly transit with Cathay, Malaysian or Singapore.
    When these small nation airlines can atttract Indians. why cant indian carriers attract to the other travellers.

    Indians are not ready to travel in Air India due to the poor service, then how can we expect other nations to travel with our Sick Maharaja's.

    DisAgree [4] Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • McQueen, Mangalore

    Tue, Nov 05 2013

    at this rate, the dreamliner will soon gather dust!!!
    DUST LINER!!!!!!

    DisAgree [2] Agree [6] Reply Report Abuse

  • NM, shirva/Dubai

    Tue, Nov 05 2013

    This is a boeing plane and boeing is quiet about it...AI need to sue the plane maker for sub a sub-standard product.....AI should abort Boeing and go in for AIRBUS planes.....or Boeing 737 new gen planes.....only bad news for dreamliner.....

    DisAgree [4] Agree [12] Reply Report Abuse

  • HENRY MISQUITH, BAHRAIN

    Tue, Nov 05 2013

    This is clear evidence that substandard materials are being used to create this plane.

    DisAgree [3] Agree [16] Reply Report Abuse

  • Rajesh Shetty, Mlore-shj

    Tue, Nov 05 2013

    80 passengers in a 300 capacity and a 10 hour flight. This is the situation of India's national carrier all because of lack of professionalism towards a service industry. Air India which was once called palace in the skies today Indians itself will be the last people to fly with it given a option. All the aviation ministers in last 2 decades took good bribe from foreign carriers and gave them more than required landing rights in the name of open sky but never bothered to give oxygen to air India. If this is the bookings in long haul flights air India May be only limited to fly to gulf sector in coming days.

    DisAgree [4] Agree [28] Reply Report Abuse

  • Joel, Sydney/ Mangalore

    Tue, Nov 05 2013

    Very true.. U get into a Cathy, Singapore or Malaysia and u look at the air hostess u feel like flying again and again.. And the same thing with Air India or Qantas u feel like running as far as u can..

    DisAgree [4] Agree [15] Reply Report Abuse

  • Rajesh Shetty, Mlore-Shj

    Tue, Nov 05 2013

    Dear Joel
    That's because more than half of the staff in AI are on board through reservation Quota, not that they deserve to be there (no offence meant to any individual).

    I in my almost 10 years of constant flying took 1 AirIndia Flight from Blore-Dubai some 7 years back. As usually for it was delayed a bit but no problem, however after reading about them over the time I don't even think of flying with them To India or any other destinations. Emirates flies more Indians in & out of India to USA/EUROPE & even the Asian sub continent. I guess Praful Patel is the Big culprit in sabotaging AIR India's life. I heard form one of my friend working in Kochi Airport that every time a foreign Airline lands in India, the minister responsible for the landing rights gets his kickbacks. That's what Air India has to pay for the corruption.

    DisAgree [5] Agree [10] Reply Report Abuse

  • santhosh, mangalore

    Mon, Nov 04 2013

    I think its not safer to travel in air India now better to scrap all flights and start ships to all over the world

    DisAgree [9] Agree [8] Reply Report Abuse

  • Brian, Mumbai

    Mon, Nov 04 2013

    Ye Lo, Chalta hai, Air India Hai!!!! Incredible Indian Product hai.....

    DisAgree [7] Agree [7] Reply Report Abuse

  • Lingappa, Kuppepadavu / Dublin

    Mon, Nov 04 2013

    Is this something new? Who has to be blamed, MMS, Fekhu, Pappu or Antanio Maino? Lets commence an endless debate as usual.

    DisAgree [14] Agree Reply Report Abuse


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Title: Windshield of AI Dreamliner cracks during landing at Melbourne



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