International flights operated by Air India reduced following aircraft accident, resulting in disarray.
Fresh Take:
India's Airline Turmoil: Flight Crashes Trigger Chaos, Inspections
Air India, the nation's national carrier, is in a pickle after a deadly crash last week, causing global delays, passenger fears, and prompting rigorous fleet checks.
Last Wednesday, Air India posted on X (formerly Twitter) a statement about the reduction of international flights by 15 percent, affecting their wide-body jets until mid-July, due to the devastating crash on June 12. The tragedy took at least 270 lives and destabilized the airline’s operations. This move aims to maintain operational stability, boost efficiency, and minimize passenger inconvenience.
The upheaval in Air India's operations came shortly after Indian authorities ordered improvements following an onslaught of complaints from frustrated passengers about flight cancellations, faulty cabin equipment, and insufficient information. The airspace closure over Iran due to its conflict with Israel only exacerbated the disruption.
On Tuesday, India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation declared that technical inspections of Air India’s 33 Boeing 787 Dreamliner planes found no "major safety concerns." However, maintenance-related issues were found, and the airline was urged to intensify coordination among engineering, operations, and ground handling units. Moreover, the regulator suggested the airline should better communicate with passengers and improve its internal system for real-time information sharing about aircraft faults.
With a fleet of approximately 190 planes (128 listed on their website), Air India Group operates around 1,000 daily flights, including numerous overseas destinations. One of Air India's star routes is the nonstop flight from Delhi to New York. since the crash a week ago, Air India has obstructed over 80 flights, inciting hundreds of passengers to broadcast their discontent on social media about sudden cancellations and lack of communication from the airline.
On Thursday, Indian Civil Aviation Minister, Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu, instructed airport directors to collaborate closely with carriers to reduce disruptions, keep passengers informed, and ensure they have access to essential amenities like food, water, and seating while waiting for flight adjustments.
Aircraft investigators are currently trying to comprehend what caused Flight 171 to smash into buildings close to the airport, killing all but one of 242 passengers and numerous others on the ground. The aircraft grappled to gain altitude shortly after takeoff. Presently, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) in India, the US National Transportation Safety Board, and Boeing personnel are retrieving information from the plane's black boxes, which could shed light on any concerns affecting the flight and the final dialogue between pilots.
The investigation is reportedly progressing steadily. Meanwhile, in Ahmedabad, DNA matching between crash victims and their family members continues, with the identification of 208 victims and the return of 198 bodies to their loved ones so far.
Sources:1. The New York Times2. Civil Aviation Ministry of India3. Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB)4. UK Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB)5. Boeing
(The article initially appeared in The New York Times. Additional sources include regulatory bodies and aircraft manufacturers.)
Given the airline's current turmoil, there could be a potential impact on the finance industry as banks and investors may need to reassess their funding and stockholdings in Air India.
Considering the recent transportation disruptions caused by Air India's fleet issues, it is essential for the aviation industry to collaborate with relevant authorities to enforce safety checks and assure passenger safety, especially on flights involving high-traffic routes like the Delhi-New York route.
