Post-AI crash, pilots grounding flights over minor glitches: Experts

Time of India

24-06-2025

Bhubaneswar: Following the June 12 Air India (AI) crash in Ahmedabad, pilots are now grounding planes at the slightest hint of technical error, say aviation experts. Even a minor blink in the altimeter prompts a pilot to seek engineering help, and the flight is grounded.
Experts say that unless the pilot feels safe, he or she can ground the flight and bring it back to the bay. But they also feel that too much caution may not be good.
Recently, a bird hit on the side of the aircraft engine of a Bhubaneswar-Kolkata flight delayed take-off at Biju Patnaik International Airport, with passengers being shifted to another aircraft. In another case, the pilot of a Bhubaneswar-Delhi Air India flight declined to take-off as an altimeter blinked, leading him to seek engineering assistance.
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"Safety is extremely important, and all rulebooks should be followed. However, there are minor incidents that may be inconsequential. Things will settle down in a month or two. The Ahmedabad incident is still fresh," airport director Prasanna Pradhan pointed out.
Former Air India captain Manmath Routray said pilots follow the Master Equipment List (MEL) before taking off, and unless that is ensured, safety is not guaranteed. "By now, if not detailed, preliminary reasons behind the Ahmedabad crash should have come out. This will help boost the morale of pilots and help subside apprehension. Now, pilots seem to be experiencing some nerves during take-off," Routray told TOI.