Air India cancels 8 flights today, bookings decline by up to 20%, days after Ahmedabad plane crash

Air India cancels 8 flights today, bookings decline by up to 20%, days after Ahmedabad plane crash

Air India cancels 8 flights today, bookings decline by up to 20%, days after Ahmedabad plane crash ByHT News Desk Jun 20, 2025 09:45 PM IST Share Via Copy Link Air India cancelled eight flights, including four international, due to operational reasons amid a 20% drop in bookings following the Ahmedabad plane crash.

Air India on Friday cancelled eight flights — four of them on international routes — citing operational reasons. The move comes amid a nearly 20 per cent drop in overall bookings, as the effects of last week’s Ahmedabad plane crash begin to show.

An Air India Airbus A320-200 aircraft takes off from the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad.(REUTERS file)

London-bound Air India flight AI-171 carrying 242 passengers and crew, crashed in Gujarat's Ahmedabad on June 12. Tragically, all but one passenger lost their lives, along with nearly 29 people on the ground, when the plane went down on a medical college complex shortly after take-off.

The Delhi-Pune flight was cancelled after the airline, on its arrival from Delhi, detected that it had a bird hit. Consequently, it was grounded for extensive inspection.

Tata-owned Air India said it had made all arrangements, including accommodation for the stranded passengers.

Refunds on cancellation or complimentary rescheduling were also offered to passengers, the airline said.

According to the tour operators body, Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO), bookings for Air India flights have declined by around 20 per cent on domestic as well as international routes while the average fares have dropped by 8-15 per cent in the aftermath of the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crash last week.

Federation of Associations in Indian Tourism & Hospitality (FAITH) General Secretary Rajiv Mehra also said that an up to 20 per cent decline in bookings has been observed for Air India flights while the fares have turned cheaper by about 10 per cent on certain sectors where there is high competition with other carriers.

An Air India spokesperson did not respond to a query seeking comments from the airline on the decline in bookings, news agency PTI reported.

"Following the unfortunate incident involving Air India, we have observed a temporary decline in bookings, particularly on international sectors," PTI quoted IATO president Ravi Gosain as saying.

"While the exact percentage varies by route, our estimates indicate a dip of around 18-22 per cent on international bookings and a 10-12 per cent fall domestically in the immediate aftermath. However, this appears to be a short-term sentiment-driven reaction, as confidence typically stabilises over time," Gosain said.

Air India CEO Campbell Wilson, meanwhile in a message, said around 500 employees of Air India and 17 from other Tata companies are in Ahmedabad to help the families of passengers, crew and others who lost their lives.

He further said the airline will progressively restore the international flight schedule, which has been reduced by 15 per cent till July 15 on account of additional pre-flight checks of its wide-body fleet and other geopolitical factors.

Wilson also clarified that Air India had senior-level representation at the final rites of the 12-crew members who lost their lives in the crash.

The clarification came amid allegations on social media platforms that no Tata Group board member was present at the crew members' funerals.

On the ongoing investigation, Campbell said that "there are many theories, but as the accident is now under official investigation by the AAIB, it is not appropriate for us to comment or speculate."

"We are providing all information requested by the AAIB and are cooperating completely," he said, adding, "The final report can take many months, though the AAIB may choose to issue interim updates or reports."