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Hindustan Times
7 days ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
112 Air India pilots took sick leave 4 days after Ahmedabad crash
At least 112 Air India pilots reported sick four days after the airline's Ahmedabad-Gatwick flight crashed 33 seconds after taking off, killing all but one of the 242 people on board and another 19 people on the ground, the government told Parliament on Thursday. A firefighter stands next to the crashed Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft, in Ahmedabad, India, June 13, 2025.(Reuters) On average, Air India — which has an estimated 1,700 pilots — sees close to 50 of them report in sick on a daily basis, a person aware of the matter said, asking not to be named. The government said the airline reported a 'minor increase' in sick leaves after the June 12 crash. 'Air India reported a minor increase in sick leaves reported by pilots across all fleets in the aftermath of the AI-171 accident. On 16.06.202, a total of 112 pilots reported sick, comprising 51 commanders (P1) and 61 first officers (P2),' said minister of state for civil aviation Murlidhar Mohol in a written reply. Also Read | Completed fuel switch inspections, no issues found: Air India He was responding to BJP MP Jai Prakash,whether it is a fact that in the aftermath of the Air India-171 crash, Air India has been experiencing mass sick reporting by its flight crew members; whether the Government has taken remedial measures such as holding post-trauma mental health workshops to mitigate their stress. The airline official cited above added that there had been an increase in pilots reporting they were unwell the day after the incident. 'The spike was very minor in the beginning and it peaked on June 16,' this person added. 'DGCA has already issued a medical circular regarding mental health of flight crews and air traffic controllers (ATCOs) on 22 Feb 2023, which lays down guidelines for operators (scheduled and non-scheduled) and DGCA-empanelled medical examiners,' Mohol said. Also Read | Minor increase in sick leaves by Air India pilots after Ahmedabad crash: Centre He added that the guidelines include 'quick and effective methods to assess mental health that can easily be performed by the DGCA-empanelled medical examiners during the Class 1/2/3 medical examination.' The government has also introduced a standalone, customised training capsule for flight crew and ATCOs to help manage the adverse effects of mental health conditions, it stated, the written reply added. Also Read | AAIB ropes in veteran pilot Captain RS Sandhu in Air India crash probe 'Additionally, on mental health monitoring, the organisations (scheduled and non-scheduled operators, FTOs and AAI (Airports Authority of India) were also advised to have a Peer Support Programme (PSP) in place for their employees. The organisations are required to enable, facilitate and ensure access to this proactive and non-punitive programme that will assist and support flight crew/ATCOs in recognising, coping with and overcoming any problem,' the minister said.
Hindustan Times
24-07-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Minor increase in sick leaves by Air India pilots after Ahmedabad crash: Centre
NEW DELHI: There was a minor increase in instances of Air India pilots going on sick leave across all fleets after its London-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed after takeoff from Ahmedabad, killing 260 people, the government told the Lok Sabha on Thursday. Minister of state for civil aviation Murlidhar Mohol (ANI Grab) 'Air India reported a minor increase in sick leaves reported by pilots across all fleets in the aftermath of the AI-171 accident. On 16.06.202, a total of 112 pilots reported sick, comprising 51 Commanders (P1) and 61 First Officers (P2),' minister of state for civil aviation Murlidhar Mohol said in a written statement in response to a question by Bharatiya Janata Party's Hardoi MP Jai Prakash. The MP had asked the government about remedial measures such as holding post-trauma mental health workshops to mitigate the stress of pilots and cabin crew in view of the air crash. To be sure, the minister told parliament on March 20 this year that Air India has a total of 3,280 pilots. Mohol said the DGCA has already issued a medical circular regarding mental health of flight crews and air traffic controllers (ATCOs) on 22 Feb 2023, which lays down guidelines for operators (scheduled and non-scheduled) and DGCA-empanelled medical examiners.' He added that the guidelines include 'quick and effective methods to assess mental health that can easily be performed by the DGCA-empanelled medical examiners during the Class 1/2/3 medical examination.' The government has also introduced a standalone, customised training capsule for flight crew and ATCOs to help recognise and manage the adverse effects of mental health conditions, he said. Airlines have been advised to implement this initiative, the minister said. The minister underlined that scheduled and non-scheduled operators, flying training organisations and the Airport Authority of India have been advised to have a Peer Support Programme (PSP) in place for their employees. 'The organisations are required to enable, facilitate and ensure access to this proactive and non-punitive programme that will assist and support flight crew/ATCOs in recognising, coping with and overcoming any problem,' the minister said. Since the June 12 crash, at least 15 other operational issues and serious incidents have been reported involving Air India and its low-cost arm, Air India Express. The Boeing 787 crash on June 12 was one of aviation's deadliest tragedies in recent years, which prompted comprehensive safety reviews. A preliminary report by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Board (AAIB) has identified fuel control switches set to 'cut off' during takeoff as the main cause of the crash. Why the switches were flipped is under investigation.
Indian Express
24-07-2025
- Health
- Indian Express
112 pilots went on leave days after Air India's Ahmedabad crash: Aviation MoS tells Lok Sabha
In the wake of the Ahmedabad plane crash that killed 260 people, Air India had seen a noticeable rise in sick leaves reported by its pilots. According to Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol, as many as 112 pilots, including 51 commanders, called in sick on June 16, just days after the June 12 plane crash. Responding to a query in the Lok Sabha about possible mass sick leave reporting among Air India's flight crew following the crash, Mohol said, 'Air India reported a minor increase in sick leaves reported by pilots across all fleets in the aftermath of the AI-171 accident. On 16.06.2025, a total of 112 pilots reported sick, comprising of 51 Commanders (P1) and 61 First Officers (P2).' On June 12, Air India flight AI 171, a Boeing 787-8 en route London, crashed into a building shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad. The crash left 260 dead, including 241 passengers onboard and 19 individuals on the ground. One passenger, seated in seat 11A, miraculously survived the accident. In light of the crash, the issue of pilots' mental health has also come into focus. Mohol highlighted a February 2023 circular from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which called on airlines to provide specialised training to help flight crews and air traffic controller recognize and manage mental health challenges. 'Additionally, on mental health monitoring, the organisations (scheduled and non-scheduled operators, FTOs and AAI) were also advised to have a Peer Support Programme (PSP) in place for their employees. The organisations are required to enable, facilitate and ensure access to this proactive and non-punitive programme that will assist and support flight crew/ATCOs in recognising, coping with and overcoming any problem,' Mohol said. In a separate written reply, Mohol confirmed that the civil aviation ministry currently has no specific policy for compensating civilians on the ground who suffer damages due to a plane crash.
Hindustan Times
24-07-2025
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Air India saw minor increase in pilots reporting sick after Ahmedabad plane crash: Govt
Air India witnessed a minor increase in sick leaves reported by pilots across all its fleets in the aftermath of the Ahmedabad plane crash that killed 260 people last month. Murlidhar Mohol said there has been a minor increase in sick leaves reported by Air India pilot.(Reuters File) In response to a Lok Sabha member's query on whether Air India has been experiencing mass sick reporting by its flight crew members, following the crash, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said there has been a minor increase in sick leaves reported by pilots, and as many as 51 commanders reported sick on June 16. "Air India reported a minor increase in sick leaves reported by pilots across all fleets in the aftermath of the AI-171 accident. On 16.06.2025, a total of 112 pilots reported sick, comprising of 51 Commanders (P1) and 61 First Officers (P2)," the minister said in a written reply. The airline's Boeing 787-8 aircraft, operating the flight AI 171, en route to London Gatwick, crashed into a building soon after take off from Ahmedabad on June 12. In the fatal accident, 260 people died, including 241 passengers who were onboard the plane, and 19 persons on the ground. One passenger survived the crash. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation's (DGCA) medical circular, issued in February 2023, had advised airlines to have a separate, standalone and customised training capsule for the flight crew/ATCOs (Air Traffic Controllers) to recognise and manage the adverse effects of mental health conditions. "Additionally, on mental health monitoring, the organisations (scheduled and non-scheduled operators, FTOs and AAI) were also advised to have a Peer Support Programme (PSP) in place for their employees. The organisations are required to enable, facilitate and ensure access to this proactive and non-punitive programme that will assist and support flight crew/ATCOs in recognising, coping with and overcoming any problem," Mohol said. FTOs and AAI refer to Flying Training Organisations and the Airports Authority of India, respectively. In another written reply, Mohol said that at present, there is no specific policy with the civil aviation ministry related to compensation for damages suffered by civilians on the ground due to a plane crash.
News18
24-07-2025
- Health
- News18
Over 100 Air India Pilots Took Sick Leave Days After Ahmedabad Dreamliner Crash
Last Updated: Air India witnessed a minor increase in sick leaves reported by pilots across all its fleets in the aftermath of the Ahmedabad plane crash that killed 270 people last month. As many as 112 Air India pilots across all fleets took sick leave just four days after the ill-fated Boeing Dreamliner aircraft bound for London crashed in Ahmedabad that claimed over 270 lives on June 12. In response to a Lok Sabha query on whether Air India has been experiencing mass sick reporting by its flight crew members following the crash, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol confirmed the minor increase in pilot sick reporting on Thursday, as reported by news agency PTI. He informed that out of the total pilots who asked for leave on June 16, 61 were first officers or senior pilots and the rest 51 were commanders/flight officers. 'Air India reported a minor increase in sick leaves reported by pilots across all fleets in the aftermath of the AI-171 accident. On 16.06.2025, a total of 112 pilots reported sick, comprising of 51 Commanders (P1) and 61 First Officers (P2)," the minister said in a written reply. However, the minister denied any instance of mass sick reporting by flight crew post-crash. Mohol also highlighted the need to recognise and manage pilots' mental health, particularly after a crash. He said, airlines and airport authorities were also instructed to introduce 'standalone and customised training capsules" for flight crew and air traffic controllers to manage potential mental health problems. 'Additionally, on mental health monitoring, the organisations (scheduled and non-scheduled operators, FTOs and AAI) were also advised to have a Peer Support Programme (PSP) in place for their employees. The organisations are required to enable, facilitate and ensure access to this proactive and non-punitive programme that will assist and support flight crew/ATCOs in recognising, coping with and overcoming any problem," Mohol said. FTOs and AAI refer to Flying Training Organisations and the Airports Authority of India, respectively. In another written reply, Mohol said that at present, there is no specific policy with the civil aviation ministry related to compensation for damages suffered by civilians on the ground due to a plane crash. DGCA Notices To Air India Meanwhile, aviation regulator DGCA has issued four show cause notices to Air India for various violations related to cabin crew rest and duty norms, cabin crew training rules and operational procedures, a month after the airline made certain voluntary disclosures to the watchdog, PTI reported. The show cause notices were issued on July 23 on the basis of voluntary disclosures made by the airline to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on June 20 and 21, sources told the news agency. 'We acknowledge receipt of these notices from the regulator related to certain voluntary disclosures that were made over the last one year by Air India. We will respond to the said notices within the stipulated period. We remain committed to the safety of our crew and passengers," an Air India spokesperson said in a statement. Air India Crash India witnessed one of its worst aviation tragedies on June 12 after a London-bound Air India plane, carrying 242 passengers and crew, including former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani, crashed into a medical college complex shortly after taking off from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. 275 people lost their lives including 120 men, 124 women, and 16 children. One person survived the tragedy. The lone survivor was identified as Indian-origin British national Vishwash Kumar Ramesh who was returning to the UK with his brother Ajay Kumar Rakesh, 45, who was in a different row inside the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner. Meanwhile, the preliminary report from the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) on the Air India crash was released earlier this month. While it has answered a critical question on what led to the crash just minutes after the flight took off from Ahmedabad airport—cutting off of fuel supply to the engines—it has left many unanswered questions. (With inputs from agencies) About the Author Shobhit Gupta view comments First Published: Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
