Google AI Blames Airbus for Boeing Crash? Here’s What Really Happened!
Introduction: When AI Gets It Wrong
In recent news, a strange mistake by Google’s AI shocked everyone. It wrongly blamed Airbus for a deadly crash that involved a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. This error happened just after the tragic AI171 flight incident of Air India on its Ahmedabad to London route.
While the crash itself was deeply upsetting, what added to the confusion was when Google’s AI Overview claimed that an Airbus aircraft was involved — even though it was a Boeing plane. This sparked debate about the safety records of Boeing vs Airbus, and questions like “Is Airbus safer than Boeing?” began trending online.
Let’s dive deep into what really happened, how AI messed up, and explore which aircraft is truly safer.
What Happened in the Air India AI171 Crash?
The AI171 flight was traveling from Ahmedabad to London when it suffered a serious malfunction. Initial reports said the aircraft was a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Thankfully, the crew followed proper emergency procedures and safely handled the situation. The black box is now being analyzed to understand what went wrong.
“Mayday” calls were sent by the pilots during the mid-air issue — a mayday is an emergency word used in aviation when help is urgently needed.
Google AI’s Big Mistake: Airbus Blamed for Boeing Crash
Soon after the incident, people searching about the crash on Google saw a strange AI-generated summary that wrongly linked Airbus to the Air India crash. This was completely incorrect, as the plane involved was made by Boeing, not Airbus.
This led to major criticism of Google’s AI Overviews. Many experts questioned the reliability of AI in handling sensitive or important topics like aviation crashes.
Google’s AI Overview claimed that an Airbus plane crashed in Ahmedaba
Airbus vs Boeing: Who Makes Safer Planes?
Now that Airbus and Boeing are both in the news, many are wondering:
Boeing vs Airbus: Which is safer?
Boeing Safety Record
Boeing is an American company and has made famous aircraft like:
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Boeing 737
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Boeing 747
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Boeing 787 Dreamliner
The Boeing 787 Dreamliner is a modern, fuel-efficient aircraft, but it has had some issues. For example, the Boeing 787 crash history includes:
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Battery fires in early models
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Landing gear problems
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Multiple whistleblowers have raised safety concerns in recent years
So people have started asking:
“How many Boeing planes have crashed?”
As per available data, Boeing planes have been involved in over 400 major accidents in the last few decades.
Airbus Safety Record
Airbus is a European company. It makes aircraft like:
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Airbus A320
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Airbus A330
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Airbus A350
Many low-cost airlines, like IndiGo, use Airbus planes. You might wonder:
“IndiGo uses Boeing or Airbus?”
The answer is: IndiGo mainly flies Airbus A320 and A321neo planes.
Airbus crash history also includes some serious incidents like:
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Air France Flight 447 crash in 2009
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Germanwings crash in 2015
People also ask:
“How many Airbus planes have crashed?”
So far, Airbus planes have been involved in around 250 major accidents.
So, looking at the numbers, Airbus has fewer crashes compared to Boeing, even though both companies have strong safety systems.
Airlines and Aircraft: Who Uses What?
Many passengers don’t know which aircraft they’re flying in. Let’s clear that up.
IndiGo
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Indigo flights are Airbus or Boeing?
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IndiGo uses Airbus planes (A320 and A321)
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Emirates
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Emirates use Boeing or Airbus?
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Emirates uses both.
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For long-haul: Boeing 777 and Airbus A380
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For short haul: mostly Airbus
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Other Airlines and Boeing
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Which airlines use Boeing?
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Air India
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Emirates
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United Airlines
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American Airlines
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Qatar Airways
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British Airways
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Aircraft Prices: How Much Do They Cost?
People often ask:
What is the price of a Boeing 787 Dreamliner?
The cost is high:
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A brand-new Boeing 787 Dreamliner costs around $239 million (approx ₹1,990 crores INR)
These aircraft are packed with modern tech, safety features, and long-range capabilities.
Who Makes Airplanes? Aircraft Manufacturing Companies
Let’s look at some aircraft manufacturing companies that build the planes we fly in:
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Boeing (USA)
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Airbus (Europe)
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Embraer (Brazil)
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Bombardier (Canada)
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COMAC (China)
Boeing and Airbus are the biggest in this list and compete head-to-head in most parts of the world.
Boeing Whistleblower Raises Safety Alarms
Recently, Boeing has been facing heat due to a whistleblower exposing problems inside the company. The whistleblower said that some safety tests were skipped and parts were not checked properly.
This caused people to ask:
“Is Boeing cutting corners?”
These safety concerns are being investigated, and if true, they might impact Boeing’s trust and business in the future.
Severe Rainfall and Flight Safety
Interestingly, the Air India AI171 incident happened during severe rainfall. Bad weather like heavy rain or storms can lead to turbulence, engine problems, or landing issues.
That’s why pilots are trained to handle these situations, and aircraft have weather radar to avoid danger zones.
Mayday Meaning Explained
During the AI171 incident, the pilot used the word “mayday” on the radio.
What does “mayday” mean?
It’s an international emergency call used in aviation and marine travel.
If a pilot says “Mayday, Mayday, Mayday”, it means the aircraft is in danger and needs help immediately.
This is more serious than “pan-pan,” which is used for lower-level issues.
Airbus vs Boeing Accident Rate: The Final Comparison
Let’s break it down simply:
Factor | Airbus | Boeing |
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Total Major Crashes | ~250 | ~400 |
Founded In | 1970 | 1916 |
Country | Europe | USA |
Popular Models | A320, A350 | 737, 787 |
Used By IndiGo? | ✅ Yes | ❌ No |
Safety Record | Slightly better | Under scrutiny |
Whistleblower Reports | Few | Multiple recent ones |
Conclusion: Who’s Really to Blame?
So, was Airbus at fault for the AI171 crash? No.
The aircraft was a Boeing 787 Dreamliner. The confusion happened due to a Google AI summary error, not a real link to Airbus.
That said, both Boeing and Airbus make safe, modern planes, and flying remains one of the safest modes of travel in the world.
But this incident shows the danger of misinformation, even if it comes from artificial intelligence. Always check trusted sources before jumping to conclusions.
Final Thoughts
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Airbus vs Boeing safety depends on many factors: design, airline maintenance, pilot skill, and weather.
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AI tools like Google’s Overview should be used carefully.
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And as always, if you hear “mayday” from a plane, know that trained pilots are doing their best to save lives.
Sources:
https://www.ndtv.com/india-news/how-is-airbus-not-suing-google-ai-wrongly-blames-airbus-for-air-india-boeing-crash-8655959
https://arstechnica.com/ai/2025/06/google-ai-mistakenly-says-fatal-air-india-crash-involved-airbus-instead-of-boeing/
https://oecd.ai/en/incidents/2025-06-13-eb48