Air India cancelled five international flights on Tuesday, including the Delhi-Paris AI 143 service. The airline announced the cancellation after mandatory pre-flight checks flagged a technical issue with the aircraft. As a result, the return service AI 142 from Paris to Delhi, scheduled for Wednesday, has also been cancelled.
A spokesperson for Air India stated, “The issue flagged during pre-flight checks is being addressed.” However, the delay meant that AI 143 would miss the night-time operation window at Paris’ Charles de Gaulle Airport, leading to the cancellation.
“We regret the inconvenience caused to our passengers and are making alternative arrangements,” the airline added. “We are providing hotel accommodation and offering full refunds on cancellations or complimentary rescheduling, if opted for by the passengers.”
Ahmedabad-London Air India Flight Also Cancelled
Earlier in the day, Air India cancelled its Ahmedabad to London Gatwick flight, citing the unavailability of aircraft. The airline attributed this to airspace restrictions and additional precautionary checks introduced after the recent crash of AI 171 on the same sector.
AI 171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed on June 12 shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad. The aircraft struck buildings near the airport, including a medical college hostel, and exploded into flames. The crash killed 241 of the 242 people on board and 33 individuals on the ground.
As a mark of respect, Air India has officially retired the AI 171 call sign.
Ram Air Turbine May Hold Key to AI-171 Probe
Investigators believe the deployment of the Ram Air Turbine (RAT) may hold crucial evidence in understanding the AI 171 disaster. The RAT is a small emergency power generator deployed during critical system failures. Audio from the crash site confirms the RAT’s deployment, as its high-pitched whine can be heard clearly.
Recovered flight and cockpit voice recorders are now under analysis by authorities, and a high-level government committee has been set up to oversee the investigation.
Technical Issues Continue to Plague Dreamliners
Following the AI-171 crash, technical issues have affected several Boeing 787 Dreamliners operated by Air India and other international carriers.
Three India-bound Dreamliners were forced to return to their origin airports. One Air India flight from Hong Kong to Delhi turned back 15 minutes after take-off due to a “technical issue.” Two others were Frankfurt to Hyderabad and London to Chennai.
On Tuesday, an Air India flight from San Francisco to Mumbai via Kolkata also encountered a snag. Passengers were deboarded in Kolkata due to a reported issue with the left engine, according to PTI.