Air India cancels eight more flights amid ongoing operational checks; 84 flights axed in 9 days after Ahmedabad crash
PTC Web Desk: Air India on Friday announced the cancellation of eight flights—four domestic and four international—citing airport maintenance and operational reasons. The cancellations come amid heightened safety protocols implemented after the deadly Ahmedabad plane crash on June 12, which claimed the lives of 270 persons. Over the past nine days, a total of 84 Air India flights have been cancelled due to various technical and safety-related concerns.
Latest Flight Cancellations: June 21
Domestic Flights Cancelled:
AI874: Pune to Delhi
AI456: Ahmedabad to Delhi
AI2872: Hyderabad to Mumbai
AI571: Chennai to Mumbai
International Flights Cancelled:
AI906: Dubai to Chennai
AI308: Delhi to Melbourne
AI309: Melbourne to Delhi
AI2204: Dubai to Hyderabad
Timeline of recent flight disruptions
June 19: Four flights cancelled
The most notable incident occurred when Flight AI388 (Delhi to Vietnam), an Airbus A320neo, was forced to return mid-route due to a technical malfunction. There were 130 passengers onboard. Three additional Air India flights were also cancelled on the same day, though specific details were not disclosed.
June 18: Three major disruptions
AI2145 (Delhi to Bali) was diverted back to Delhi due to volcanic activity near Bali Airport. The airline said the decision was taken in the interest of passenger safety.
AI188 (Toronto to Delhi) was cancelled after passengers had boarded. The cancellation was due to a combination of maintenance issues and crew duty time limitations.
AI996 (Dubai to Delhi) was also cancelled mid-boarding because of a technical fault. All passengers were safely de-boarded following the cancellation order.
Additional disruptions from other airlines
Other carriers have also faced turbulence during this period:
IndiGo Flight 6E 2006 (Delhi to Leh) returned to Delhi on June 20 due to a technical glitch. The flight had 180 persons on board, including crew.
SpiceJet SG 2696 (Hyderabad to Tirupati) turned back just 10 minutes after takeoff due to a warning related to the aircraft’s rear door.
An IndiGo flight from Guwahati to Chennai was diverted to Bengaluru due to fuel shortage. The flight carried 168 passengers and resumed its journey after refueling.
June 12–17: 66 Air India flights cancelled
According to the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Air India cancelled 66 flights between June 12 and June 17, including services operated with Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft. The DGCA conducted an urgent inspection of the Boeing 787-8/9 fleet, but found no major safety violations.
Air India currently operates 33 Dreamliners. Following the June 12 crash, all airports were instructed to conduct stricter operational checks, particularly on aircraft maintenance and pilot readiness. On June 18, DGCA held a review meeting with senior Air India officials. The regulatory body called for strict adherence to aircraft safety protocols; improved flight operation coordination and ensuring timely flight departures.
- With inputs from agencies
