NEW DELHI | June 13, 2025 — The tragic crash of Air India Flight AI171 in Ahmedabad has renewed scrutiny over the airline’s ageing fleet, with government data revealing that nearly 30% of India’s commercial passenger aircraft belong to Air India—many of which are among the oldest in operation.
According to data presented in Parliament this March, 70 of Air India’s 188 aircraft were over a decade old at the time of the crash. Of these, 43 were more than 15 years old, while another 27 fell within the 10–15 year range. An additional 59 aircraft were aged between 5 and 10 years, while 69 were under five years old—making 37% of the fleet older than 10 years.
In comparison, IndiGo, India’s largest airline by fleet size, operated 319 aircraft, with a significantly younger average age. Of its fleet, 283 aircraft are less than five years old, and only 23 are more than 10 years old. Air India Express Ltd, another Tata Group airline, had 101 aircraft in service.
The ageing profile of Air India’s fleet stands out even as Indian carriers are aggressively expanding. Since 2022, Indian airlines have placed orders for 1,359 new aircraft. Air India alone accounted for 405 of these orders—305 in 2023 and 100 more in 2024—as part of a major fleet renewal and expansion programme.
Despite public concern, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) clarified that India does not impose a maximum age limit for operating commercial aircraft. "Aircraft are considered airworthy provided the maintenance is carried out in accordance with the schedule approved by the manufacturer," the Ministry of Civil Aviation stated in its parliamentary response. "An aircraft registered in India may continue to operate as long as its type certificate remains valid and the manufacturer provides ongoing production and maintenance support."
The government further noted that aircraft may be retired from service if deemed “beyond economic repair” or permanently grounded due to lack of spare parts or other operational constraints.
While age alone does not determine an aircraft’s safety, the Ahmedabad disaster has intensified calls for closer oversight of maintenance standards and fleet modernisation efforts—particularly in legacy carriers like Air India.
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