New Delhi/Kolkata/Ahmedabad, June 18: Troubles mounted for Air India, with seven international flights cancelled on Tuesday and a San Francisco–Mumbai flight forced to terminate at Kolkata due to a technical snag, marking the airline’s most severe operational crisis since its takeover by the Tata Group in 2021.
The disruptions come days after a devastating crash of a London-bound Air India flight in Ahmedabad on June 12, killing over 270 people, raising serious concerns about aircraft safety and maintenance protocols.
Multiple Cancellations
According to airline sources, six of Tuesday’s cancellations were caused by enhanced checks ordered by the DGCA on the airline’s Dreamliner fleet. These included:
- Delhi–Paris (AI143)
- Bengaluru–London
- London–Amritsar
- Delhi–Vienna
- Delhi–Dubai
- Mumbai–San Francisco
A separate Ahmedabad–London Gatwick flight (AI-159), meant to replace the AI-171 flight that crashed, was cancelled due to unavailability of aircraft, though Air India denied it was due to a technical snag.
Paris Flight Canceled Post Pre-Flight Checks
Air India issued a statement confirming the Delhi–Paris AI143 flight was called off after mandatory pre-flight checks flagged an issue. However, details of the issue were not disclosed. Due to night operation restrictions at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, the flight could not be delayed and was cancelled instead.
Affected passengers were offered hotel accommodations, full refunds, or free rescheduling.
San Francisco–Mumbai Flight Aborted in Kolkata
Separately, flight AI-180 from San Francisco to Mumbai, carrying 211 passengers, made its scheduled technical stop in Kolkata at 12:45 am. However, post-landing checks revealed a snag in the left engine, causing hours-long delay and eventual termination of the journey in Kolkata.
Passengers were initially told the issue would be resolved within 25 minutes, but by 5:20 am, the pilots announced a full deplaning after engineers failed to fix the problem. Chaos ensued as many passengers had connecting flights from Mumbai, and no clear answers were available.
Sources said Air India is arranging alternative flights, though officials admitted most Mumbai-bound flights were full. Several passengers were accommodated in hotels, while others continued to wait at the airport.
Geopolitical Impact on Routes
The closure of Iranian and Pakistani airspace due to the Israel-Iran conflict has forced Air India to reroute several long-haul flights, including San Francisco–Mumbai, with added stops like Kolkata for refueling and crew management.
No Official Word from Airline on Crisis
Air India has not released a comprehensive statement addressing the widespread disruptions. Internal sources describe the situation as “the worst since the Tata takeover”, as aircraft maintenance, fleet readiness, and route planning come under intense scrutiny following the Ahmedabad disaster.
Passengers and aviation observers have called for a transparent investigation and urgent systemic overhaul within Air India to restore public confidence in the carrier.
