NEW DELHI, India: Air India's rate of technical incidents, including fuel and engine oil leaks, rose to its highest level in at least 14 months in January, according to a company document reviewed by Reuters, highlighting mounting operational pressures at the carrier.

The airline recorded 1.09 technical incidents per 1,000 flights in January, up sharply from 0.26 in December 2024, according to a document submitted to the Indian government in February. Air India operated more than 17,500 flights in January and logged 23 technical incidents across domestic and international routes. At least 21 of those cases were formally investigated.

"Systemic improvements (are) being introduced across flight ops, training, engineering quality, and procedural oversight to prevent recurrence," the Air India document said.

Air India has been under scrutiny from India's aviation regulator since a crash last year killed 260 people. In December, the airline acknowledged a "need for urgent improvements in process discipline, communication, and compliance culture."

In a statement, the carrier said it has undertaken a "comprehensive program to strengthen technical reliability" and increased its critical spares inventory by more than 30 percent to improve aircraft availability and reduce disruptions. It added that it has made significant capital investments in engineering infrastructure and tooling.

India's civil aviation ministry did not respond to requests for comment.

The document, which is not public, did not include data for Air India Express, the airline's budget subsidiary, and provided only selective comparisons with global industry norms.

The incidents reported in January included engine-stall warnings, flight-control and hydraulic issues, and engine oil and fuel leaks. Both Airbus and Boeing aircraft were involved—five cases related to fuel or engine oil leaks. On one Dubai-Mumbai flight, engineers found an engine's oil quantity was "low" upon arrival.

In another case, a Delhi-Dubai flight on January 12 returned shortly after takeoff due to "no water in lavatory and galley," the document said.

Operational incidents such as rejected takeoffs, flying at restricted altitudes, and departures with incorrect settings stood at 0.29 per 1,000 flights in January, more than double the December level, the document showed. However, it also said there has been a "decrease in operational incidents" in recent months.

Air India, owned by Tata Group and Singapore Airlines, has been attempting to rebuild its brand and expand internationally while modernizing an ageing fleet, amid supply chain delays affecting aircraft upgrades and deliveries. Pakistan's closure of its airspace to Indian carriers has also disrupted some long-haul routes and added financial strain.

Earlier this month, India's civil aviation ministry told lawmakers that 82.5 percent of 166 Air India aircraft analysed since January 2025 had recurring technical defects, compared with 36.5 percent for market leader IndiGo. No further details were provided.

Air India operates 191 aircraft and has ordered more than 500 additional planes.

The February document outlined measures to address recurring issues. For leakage events, the airline introduced a periodic inspection program for Airbus A320 aircraft and replaced steering-system hydraulic hoses on all Boeing 777s. It also launched a periodic air-conditioning leak-check program and is implementing "targeted engineering actions" to "strengthen aircraft reliability and reduce incident rates."

The airline has also faced scrutiny abroad. Britain's aviation authority recently sought clarification over a Boeing Dreamliner that departed London with a possibly faulty fuel switch before being grounded in India for safety checks, Reuters reported earlier this month.

According to a source familiar with the matter, Air India told regulators it had reminded pilots to follow proper procedures and had replaced the aircraft's throttle control module as a precaution. The UK Civil Aviation Authority did not immediately respond to a request for comment.