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The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is not currently planning on grounding the United States' fleet ofÌýBoeing 787Ìýaircraft following the tragic crash of Air India Flight #171. The agency, which oversees aviation in the United States, has not yet seen the necessary data to justify such a bold action, but remains committed to protecting the safety of US citizens based on what information they can get from the accident.

Launch Customer(s)

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Aircraft Type

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First Delivery

September 25, 2011

Number Delivered

1,138

A nationwide grounding of the Boeing 787 would create massive challenges for some of the United States' biggest carriers. United Airlines and American Airlines both rely on the jet as a long-haul workhorse, so a grounding could cause widespread disruptions to scheduled operations. While the cause of the crash is still unknown, this problem has once again brought attention to Boeing's troubling safety and quality control issues.

The FAA Believes A 787 Grounding Would Be Premature

Photo:ÌýMarkus Mainka | Shutterstock

While concerns over the safety of the Boeing 787 have arisen following a tragic crash of an Air India flight bound for London earlier this week, the FAAÌý, according to Reuters. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy explained that currently, people are attempting to assess what happened through videos, which he claimed is not a smart way to make decisions of this nature.

Little is known about the cause of the crash that occurred Thursday, when an Air India Boeing 787-8 bound for London Gatwick Airport crashed into a densely populated area. The accident occurred just seconds after the aircraft took off from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The aircraft involved wasÌýÌýin the year leading up to the tragedy, according to BBC.

Duffy and his team have determined there is not enough evidence to justify grounding the Boeing 787 as they work with teams from both Boeing and General Electric, which have left for India to assist in the investigation. Duffy explained:

"They have to get on the ground and take a look. But again right now it'd be way too premature. People are looking at videos and trying to assess what happened, which is never a strong, smart way to make decisions on what took place."

United And American Would Be Hit Hard By US 787 Groundings

Photo:ÌýA Periam Photography | Shutterstock

While the FAA is not yet grounding the 787, that does not mean it won't at some time later in the investigation. Duffy reiterated that the FAA will follow whatever facts come out of the investigation, and that safety will come first. So, should the agency deem it necessary to ground the aircraft, then several major US carriers will be faced with significant disruptions.

United AirlinesÌýis one of the largest operators of the Boeing 787 Dreamliner in the world. According to planespotters.net, the Chicago-based airline:Ìý. Additionally, American Airlines flies 63 787 aircraft, split between the -8 and -9 variants. With the 787 playing a critical role in the long-haul networks of these airlines, a grounding would cause widespread disruptions, though it might be necessary to ensure the safety of the US public.

The only other US airline company that would be disrupted by a 787 grounding is Alaska Air Group. Its subsidiary, Hawaiian Airlines, flies a handful of Dreamliners, though not nearly as many as United or American. Until more information is recovered regarding the Air India disaster, the proper course of action for the FAA is unclear.

Boeing Safety Concerns Are Escalating

Photo:ÌýIan Dewar Photography | Shutterstock

For years,Ìýhas faced continued scrutiny over its quality control and safety record. The American aerospace firm lost public trust following the Boeing 737 MAX scandal, and has since been at the center of several controversies related to its manufacturing and quality. Though Boeing has started to increase output, it is once again at the center of safety concerns.

It will take a while for an official cause of the accident to be reached, but the disaster has certainly brought more attention to Boeing's problems. Once a cause is found, then regulators across the world will be able to take action to protect the traveling public.