(Image source from: News18.com)
On Tuesday afternoon, Air India announced the cancellation of its flight AI 159 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick. The airline attributed this decision to the unavailability of an aircraft, which was impacted by airspace restrictions and necessary additional safety checks. A representative confirmed that there were no technical issues involved. "The cancellation of flight AI 159 today was due to the aircraft being unavailable because of airspace constraints and extended precautionary inspections, not related to any technical failure as previously alleged," Air India stated. "We apologize for the disruption this has caused our passengers and have taken steps to provide alternative travel options. We are arranging hotel accommodations and offering full refunds or free rescheduling for those who wish to opt for it. As a result, flight AI 170 from London Gatwick to Amritsar scheduled for June 17 is also cancelled," they added.
A frustrated traveler shared their experience with news agency ANI, saying, "I was on my way to London, but the flight has been cancelled. The crew did not offer any explanations or details regarding the refund process." Nevertheless, sources at the airport indicated that passengers who were left stranded would be redirected to their intended destinations.
Flight AI 159 was initially set to depart at 1:10 PM but was later postponed to 3 PM. However, at 1:45 PM, Air India officially confirmed its cancellation. According to the airline's website, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was designated to operate the flight. This cancellation follows the recent tragic incident involving Air India's AI 171, which also featured a 787-8 Dreamliner and crashed just after taking off on the same route from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick. Footage showed the aircraft colliding with buildings near the airport, including a college dormitory, resulting in a devastating explosion that claimed the lives of 241 out of 242 individuals on board as well as 33 people on the ground.
As a tribute to those lost, Air India has retired the flight number 171. Following the crash on June 12, three additional flights bound for India, operated by British Airways, Lufthansa, and Air India, were compelled to return to their departure airports. One of these flights, AI-315 from Hong Kong to Delhi, turned back shortly after takeoff due to a "technical issue," although no further information was provided. The other two flights were traveling from Frankfurt to Hyderabad and London to Chennai. Earlier on Tuesday, a flight from San Francisco to Mumbai with a stop in Kolkata also encountered a technical problem. Passengers were disembarked at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose Airport due to an issue with the left engine. Meanwhile, recovery efforts for the flight and voice data recorders from the crashed aircraft are ongoing, with the government stating that the information is under examination. A high-level committee has been established to manage the investigation and to propose measures aimed at preventing similar tragedies in the future.
