Are Flights Being Cancelled After Air India Plane Crash?
On June 12, terrifying videos of the London-bound Air India 171 flight showed the plane struggling to gain altitude soon after take-off from the Ahmedabad airport and then crashing into a college hostel. The crash killed 241 people on board and more than 30 on the ground, becoming the worst air crash in the country in decades. However, what caused this failure is still unknown.
"Air India remains in mourning on the tragic loss of 241 passengers and crew members aboard flight AI171. Our hearts are with the families, loved ones, and communities affected by the accident," the company said in a statement.
After the tragic crash, anxiety around air travel has spiked. Further, there have been multiple cancellations of international flights due to various factors. Over the last six days, 83 flights have been cancelled. Many reports have surfaced citing different reasons for the delays and cancellations.
Here Are Some Factors Claimed To Be The Reason Behind The Recent Flight Delays, Cancellations And Diversions, Soon After The Tragic Crash:
Geopolitical Tensions In The Middle East
Amid growing tensions between Russia and Ukraine, and Iran and Israel, the latest snapshot of air traffic, shared by Flightradar24 on June 18, 2025, shows three clear patches. These three gaps are seen over Iran, Ukraine and Tibet.
On June 13, 2025, when Israel launched a wave of airstrikes on Iran, a similar sight was witnessed over Iranian space. A time-lapse video from Flightradar24 showed the immediate impact - a total clearance of civilian air traffic over Iranian airspace. This diversion of flights could have a domino effect, resulting in longer flight durations, potential delays and increased fuel costs.
Bomb Threats
On June 17, 2025, an IndiGo flight, en route to Delhi from Kochi, made an emergency landing in Nagpur after a bomb scare. IndiGo reportedly received an email, claiming a bomb had been placed inside the flight. Keeping passenger safety in mind, the plane was diverted to Nagpur for an emergency landing at Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar International Airport. The bomb detection and disposal squad was informed immediately.
Technical Glitches
In another case, an Air India flight from San Francisco to Mumbai via Kolkata suffered a technical snag early on June 17 morning. Upon its arrival at the Kolkata airport at 12:45 am, it faced a technical glitch in the left engine, delaying take-off from Kolkata to Mumbai, reported the news agency PTI. The passengers were asked to deboard the plane during a scheduled halt at the Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport.
Volcano Eruptions In Indonesia
Mount Lewotobi Laki-laki, located in East Nusa Tenggara province, erupted on June 17, spewing ash 11 km (7 miles) high. Eighty-seven flights to and from Bali, consisting of 66 international and 21 domestic flights, were affected on Wednesday by the eruption, the Bali airport operator said in a statement. These included connections to Australia, Singapore, Vietnam and Malaysia. Operations were halted with flights being cancelled, diverted or delayed.
Night Curfew In Airspaces In Europe And East Asia
On June 17, 2025, Air India cancelled its Ahmedabad-London Gatwick service - AI 159 - citing the unavailability of aircraft due to airspace restrictions and additional safety checks. These delays led to a longer-than-usual turnaround of aircraft, the airline statement said. There was no technical snag, Air India stressed.
Ongoing Enhanced Safety Inspections
The civil aviation watchdog Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has advised Air India to strengthen internal coordination across engineering, operations and ground handling units. In a statement on June 18, Air India said of their 33 Boeing 787-8/9 aircraft, the "Enhanced Safety Inspection" mandated by DGCA was completed on 26. These, Air India said, have been "cleared for service, while inspection of the remainder will be complete in the coming days".
A week after the Air India crash in Gujarat's Ahmedabad, the Ministry of Civil Aviation has released new draft rules to tighten control over structures that pose a risk to aircraft safety.
Along with all the above-mentioned reasons, the engineering staff and pilots have also adopted a necessary cautious approach towards air safety. As per reports, aviation experts note that air travel continues to be among the safest modes of transportation and is also steadily improving.
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