Air India Modifying B787s Over Water Leak

The required modification on Air India's Boeing 787 fleet follows a February 2, 2026, Airworthiness Directive (AD) from the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration. This directive applies to all B787-8, 787-9, and 787-10 models and supersedes a previous AD from January 2024 that mandated repetitive visual inspections for leaks. The core of the issue lies with undetected water leaks from the Faucet Control Module (FCM) in the lavatories, which can seep below the passenger floor. The primary concern is this water migrating into electronic equipment bays, potentially damaging flight-critical systems and leading to a loss of continued safe flight and landing. The problem was traced back to a faulty O-ring seal within the faucet module, causing slow leaks of about 8 ounces per hour. One airline discovered the extent of the issue after finding a wet carpet in the cockpit, which prompted a fleet-wide inspection that revealed multiple aircraft with leaking faucets. This isn't the first water-related AD for the Dreamliner. Previous directives have addressed leaks from potable water system couplings. Issues with improperly installed clamshell couplings also led to water migrating into electronics bays, prompting requirements for inspections and sealant applications around seat tracks above these sensitive areas. The latest FAA directive mandates the replacement of the existing FCMs with a newly developed, improved design that is not susceptible to leaking. This modification is considered the "terminating action," eliminating the need for the repetitive inspections previously required. Air India, which operates a fleet of 33 Boeing 787s, has already begun modifying the affected aircraft. As of early March 2026, sources reported that more than half of the identified Dreamliners in their fleet had received the upgraded faucet control modules.