Another London-Bound Air India Flight From Ahmedabad Cancelled After Technical Glitch; Safety Concerns Escalate

Ahmedabad: Just five days after India witnessed its worst aviation tragedy in over 30 years, Air India on Tuesday, June 17, cancelled yet another London-bound flight from Ahmedabad due to a technical snag. The affected flight, AI159, had arrived from New Delhi and was scheduled to depart for Heathrow but was grounded after safety checks flagged an issue.

This is the second disruption of the Ahmedabad-to-London service in less than a week, following the June 12 crash of Air India flight AI171 that resulted in the deaths of 241 out of 242 passengers and crew. That aircraft, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, had crashed shortly after takeoff, striking the BJ Medical College campus in Gandhinagar and erupting in flames.

On Monday, June 16, another Air India flight was cancelled after operational delays caused the crew to exceed their duty time limits, further fueling concerns about the airline’s current crisis management.

The Tuesday cancellation adds to a growing list of worrying incidents involving Air India. Earlier today, a San Francisco–Mumbai flight was diverted to Kolkata after one of its engines developed a fault mid-journey. Separately, a Delhi–Ranchi Air India Express flight returned to the capital shortly after takeoff, also due to suspected technical issues.

Another flight, AI315 from Hong Kong, returned midair and landed safely. Air India issued a statement noting that the aircraft was undergoing inspection “as a matter of abundant precaution.”

Meanwhile, grief continues to linger across Gujarat. DNA testing has so far confirmed the identities of 119 victims from the AI171 crash, and the remains of 76 victims — including those of former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani — have been returned to families. The official investigation into the fatal crash remains underway.