On Feb 1st, 2026, an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner experienced an unusual technical anomaly during engine start at London Heathrow Airport, prompting post-flight grounding and regulatory scrutiny.
The aircraft, registered VT-ANX, was preparing to operate flight AI-132 from London Heathrow (UK) to Bangalore (India). During engine start, after the flight crew moved the fuel control levers to the RUN position, the levers initially appeared normal. However, while rechecking the switches by touch, the left-hand fuel control lever unexpectedly moved to the CUTOFF position.
The crew reset the lever to RUN, but upon touching it again for verification, it once more jumped back to CUTOFF. On a third attempt, the lever finally remained in the RUN position. With no further abnormal indications, the aircraft departed Heathrow with a delay of about 35 minutes and completed the long-haul flight to Bangalore without further incident.
After landing in Bangalore on Feb 2nd, 2026, inspections revealed that the left fuel control switch could move without any locking resistance, confirming a mechanical defect.
Air India subsequently grounded the aircraft and issued a statement confirming the issue had been reported by one of its pilots. The airline stated it had involved the aircraft manufacturer on a priority basis, informed India’s aviation regulator DGCA, and reiterated that earlier fleet-wide checks of Boeing 787 fuel control switches had found no anomalies. The airline emphasized that passenger and crew safety remains its top priority.
The Safety Matters Foundation also released a statement noting that the incident occurred amid the ongoing investigation into the loss of Air India Flight AI171 on June 12th, 2025, which also involved a Boeing 787. While stressing that no direct connection is implied, the foundation highlighted that repeated reports involving a critical flight control system on the same aircraft type warrant the highest level of scrutiny.
When asked why the aircraft was allowed to depart despite the anomaly, the foundation remarked bluntly: “The issue is, there is no guidance.”
