Air India debunks technical snag claim; cites airspace restrictions for Ahmedabad-London flight cancellation
PTC Web Desk: Amid widespread travel disruptions following a recent plane crash in Ahmedabad, Air India has officially denied earlier reports attributing the cancellation of its Ahmedabad-London flight (AI159) scheduled for Tuesday to a technical fault. The airline clarified that the cancellation was instead caused by airspace restrictions and precautionary checks, which delayed aircraft turnaround times.
Originally scheduled to depart at 1.10 pm on Tuesday, Flight AI159 was called off just hours before takeoff. This led to chaos and frustration at the airport, with several passengers voicing complaints about the lack of prior notice and on-ground support.
In a statement, Air India said: "Flight AI159 from Ahmedabad to Gatwick has been cancelled today due to the unavailability of the aircraft, resulting from airspace restrictions and additional precautionary checks... and not due to any technical snag as claimed."
The airline assured affected passengers of alternate arrangements, including hotel accommodation and options for full refunds or complimentary rescheduling. Consequently, return flight AI170 from London Gatwick to Amritsar, scheduled for June 17, has also been cancelled.
This incident is the latest in a string of aviation-related disruptions across India over the past few days, many involving Air India and other carriers facing technical challenges or security threats.
Recent airline disruptions in India
June 17 – Air India flight diverted in Kolkata
An Air India flight (AI180) from San Francisco to Mumbai, via Kolkata, was grounded due to a technical fault in the left engine of its Boeing 777-200LR (Worldliner) aircraft. Passengers were deboarded at 5.20 am as a precaution. The aircraft had landed on time in Kolkata at 12.45 am and was set to depart for Mumbai at 2 am. The fault was detected shortly before departure.
June 17 – Bomb threat on Indigo flight
An IndiGo flight from Muscat to Delhi via Kochi made an emergency landing in Nagpur following a bomb threat. The authorities evacuated the aircraft safely and conducted a thorough inspection, but no suspicious items were found. Nagpur DCP Lohit Matani confirmed the safety of all passengers and ongoing investigations.
June 16 – Two Air India flights forced to return
Flight AI315, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner flying from Hong Kong to Delhi, had to return mid-air due to technical problems. A Delhi–Ranchi Air India Express flight on a Boeing 737 Max 8 was diverted back to Delhi shortly after takeoff due to a suspected technical issue. It was originally scheduled to land at 6.20 pm in Ranchi.
June 15 – British Airways and Lufthansa flights turn back
A British Airways Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner en route to Chennai returned mid-flight due to technical problems.
A Lufthansa Boeing 787-9 was denied landing permission following a bomb threat and was forced to return to its origin.
June 13 – AC Failure on Air India Express Dubai–Jaipur Flight
Passengers on Air India Express flight IX-196, traveling from Dubai to Jaipur, were left without air conditioning for over five hours on board. The flight, carrying over 150 passengers, was delayed due to technical issues and departed only at 12:44 am, instead of its scheduled time of 7.25 pm. A video of distressed passengers circulated widely on social media, revealing they were also not provided water or assistance during the delay.
- With inputs from agencies
