AHMEDABAD: Just days after the tragic AI-171 crash in Ahmedabad, another Air India international service has been abruptly cancelled this time sparking fresh panic and outrage among passengers. Flight AI-159, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner bound for London Gatwick, was scheduled to depart Ahmedabad at 1:10 PM, but was grounded hours before take-off, initially citing a “technical glitch”.
Later, Air India issued a clarification denying any immediate technical fault, attributing the cancellation to aircraft unavailability due to airspace restrictions and precautionary checks. “The aircraft took longer than expected to return, and hence could not operate today’s flight,” the airline said in a statement. “We regret the inconvenience and are arranging hotel stays, full refunds, or alternative bookings for affected passengers.”
Despite the airline’s attempt to play down the issue, reports from the ground suggest that a technical issue was indeed detected earlier in the day potentially averting another aviation disaster. While this intervention may have safeguarded lives, it left over 250 passengers in a state of confusion, uncertainty, and frustration at the terminal.
Many passengers, including those who had travelled from other cities to board the international flight, were left stranded. Arnie Christian, one of the affected travellers, told local media, “We had a confirmed booking for June 14, but on the 13th, we received an email saying it’s cancelled. Customer service was unresponsive for hours. When they finally answered, they rescheduled us for June 17 only to cancel that again today. Now we’re being promised a June 19 flight. But who’s to say that won’t be cancelled too?”
Christian, who has already begun working in London, said he has had to repeatedly explain the situation to his employer overseas. “We are emailing our managers every day. Our jobs and futures are hanging by a thread because of this,” he added.
Another passenger, Pratik Pandya, voiced anger over what he described as “a complete lack of accountability.” “Don’t harass the public like this. Where are 250 people supposed to go now? The airline just keeps pushing flights one day forward. There’s no clarity. No help.”
To make matters worse, Air India’s London Gatwick to Amritsar flight AI-170, scheduled for June 17, has also been cancelled, adding to the network-wide disruptions. With public anger mounting, Air India’s assurances are now under scrutiny not just for flight scheduling, but also for its crisis management and customer communication in the aftermath of back-to-back aviation incidents.
