An Air India flight from Hyderabad to Mumbai, which had 92 passengers on board, was grounded and subsequently cancelled on Friday because of a technical fault, news agency PTI reported, quoting airport sources.
Fault Detected After Boarding; Passengers Deplaned
The technical fault was noticed when passengers were already on board and were deplaned afterwards. They were subsequently booked on a different Air India flight, the sources added.
“AI 2534 to Mumbai was cancelled due to technical reasons,” the sources told PTI.
The national carrier cancelled eight other flights earlier on Friday four of them on international routes citing operational reasons. The move comes amid a nearly 20% decline in bookings, which officials attribute to the aftermath of last week’s fatal plane crash in Ahmedabad.
Deadly Crash in Ahmedabad Triggers Booking Drop for Air India
The accident was Air India flight AI-171, an Airbus A320-200 bound for London, which crashed almost immediately after taking off from Ahmedabad on June 12.
The plane, which had 242 passengers and crew aboard, crashed into a medical college complex, killing all but one of the passengers and almost 29 on the ground.
The Delhi-Pune flight was suspended on Friday after a bird hit was discovered when the aircraft landed in Pune. The aircraft was grounded for an extensive check.
Air India Responds With Accommodation and Rescheduling
Air India, owned by Tata, announced that it has placed the stranded passengers in accommodation and is providing refunds or free rescheduling of the cancelled flights.
The Indian Association of Tour Operators (IATO) has indicated an approximate 20% fall in bookings for Air India in both domestic and international sectors, and a decrease in average fares by 8–15% since the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crash.
As per news agency PTI, the airline declined to issue a statement in response to an inquiry regarding the recent sharp decline in bookings.
Short-Term Sentiment Shift Likely, Says IATO President
PTI quoted IATO president Ravi Gosain as saying, “Following the unfortunate incident involving Air India, we have observed a temporary decline in bookings, particularly on international sectors.”
He added, “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.”
