In the shadow of one of the deadliest aviation disasters in India’s recent history, Air India has once again grounded a flight on the same Ahmedabad to London route, igniting fresh concerns over the airline’s fleet safety.
Just days after Air India Flight AI171 tragically crashed into a residential area—leaving only one survivor out of 242 souls on board—another flight, AI159, scheduled to operate the identical route, was abruptly canceled due to a “technical glitch.”
Flight AI159, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, was slated to depart from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport at 1:10 p.m. local time on Tuesday, with a scheduled arrival at London Gatwick by 6:25 p.m. But during standard pre-flight inspections, engineers detected a critical issue, prompting immediate suspension of the service. Passengers were left stranded and visibly distressed at the terminal as airline staff scrambled to make alternative arrangements.
Local reports indicate that AI159 had earlier arrived from New Delhi without incident before the fault was identified on the tarmac in Ahmedabad. The cancellation comes as part of heightened scrutiny following the devastating crash of Flight AI171, which had operated under the same route number prior to its renaming.
The catastrophic AI171 incident claimed the lives of 241 individuals, including 53 British nationals, 159 Indians, seven Portuguese citizens, and one Canadian. The only survivor was 40-year-old British father, Vishwash Kumar Ramesh, whose harrowing escape has captured global attention. Investigators suspect mechanical failure linked to overlooked maintenance issues may have played a role in the disaster.
In response, India’s aviation authorities have ordered comprehensive inspections of all Air India Dreamliner jets, sparking operational disruptions across key international routes.
Tensions ran high among passengers of AI159, especially for at least one traveler who had originally been booked on the doomed AI171 flight but switched itineraries at the last minute. That survivor’s presence on the latest grounded flight adds a haunting echo to the unfolding saga.
While flight-tracking data confirms that another AI159 eventually completed the Ahmedabad to Gatwick journey late yesterday after a three-hour delay, the episode underscores growing public unease around Air India’s long-haul fleet operations.
As investigations into the AI171 tragedy continue, and with renewed focus on technical integrity and safety protocols, Air India faces mounting pressure to restore passenger confidence amid international scrutiny.
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