In message to loyalty club members, Air India CEO assures airline prioritising safety
'At Air India, your safety is our highest priority and always has been since we took over the airline in 2022. In this context, we want to share some important facts about Flight AI171 to provide clarity during this difficult time…The flight was led by Captain Sumeet Sabharwal, a highly experienced pilot and trainer with over 10,000 hours flying widebody aircraft. First Officer Clive Kunder, had over 3,400 hours of flying experience… The plane was well-maintained, with its last major check in June 2023 and the next scheduled for December 2025. Its right engine was overhauled in March 2025, and the left engine was inspected in April 2025. Both the aircraft and engines were regularly monitored, showing no issues before the flight,' Air India CEO Campbell Wilson stated in an email to members of Air India's Maharaja Club loyalty programme.
'These are the facts as we know them today. We, together with the entire aviation industry, await the official investigation report to understand more,' Wilson added.
An Air India Boeing 787-8 aircraft—operating flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed moments after take-off last Thursday. The ill-fated aircraft had 242 people on board, but only one survived the accident. There were several casualties on the ground as well. This was the worst aviation disaster involving an Indian airline in at least four decades, and the first-ever crash of the Boeing 787 anywhere in the world. The crash is being investigated by India's Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB). Additionally, a high-level multi-disciplinary committee of the government is also examining the causes behind the crash with the view to further strengthen the aviation safety ecosystem and formulate standard operating procedures (SOPs) for preventing and handling such accidents in the future.
'We are reaching out with heavy hearts following the tragic crash of Air India Flight AI171 on June 12, 2025. The loss of 241 passengers and crew members, along with 34 people on the ground, has left us all in deep sorrow. Words cannot express the pain we feel for the families and loved ones affected by this devastating event. We are fully committed to doing all we can to support the families impacted and are also working closely with authorities to understand the cause of this tragedy. Our thoughts are with everyone touched by this loss,' Wilson's letter read.
Wilson also gave an update to Air India frequent flyers on the status of the safety inspections of its wide-body fleet and the additional measures being taken by the airline. These are among the reasons behind Air India deciding to curtail its wide-body international flights by 15 per cent till mid-July.
'Arising from this tragedy, and as directed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) on June 14, 2025, we have been conducting thorough safety inspections on our 33 Boeing 787 aircraft. So far, inspections have been completed on 26 and these have been cleared for service. The remaining aircraft are currently in planned maintenance and will have these additional checks done before being released into service. Following the review, the DGCA has confirmed that our Boeing 787 fleet and maintenance processes fully meet safety standards,' Wilson stated in the email.
The time required to perform these enhanced safety checks, along with the 'application of extra caution', and external factors like airspace closures in West Asia and night curfew at various international airports, has led to higher-than-usual number of cancellations on Air India's long-haul network over the past few days. Additionally, as a 'confidence-building measure' Air India has decided to continue enhanced pre-flight safety checks on its Boeing 787 fleet and even its Boeing 777 aircraft, for the time being.
'Given the time these additional checks will consume and the potential impact on schedules, we have decided to reduce our international widebody flights by around 15% starting June 20, 2025 through to at least mid-July. This will also allow us to have more backup aircraft ready to handle any unexpected issues. We understand that this temporary reduction to our schedule may affect your travel plans, and we're deeply sorry for any inconvenience. If your flight is impacted, we will contact you to offer rebooking on another flight at no extra cost, or a full refund. We will share the updated international schedule within the next few days,' Wilson stated.
The Air India CEO said that this is a challenging time for the airline, and it is 'grateful' for customers' support and understanding that 'safety must always come first'.
Sukalp Sharma is a Senior Assistant Editor with The Indian Express and writes on a host of subjects and sectors, notably energy and aviation. He has over 13 years of experience in journalism with a body of work spanning areas like politics, development, equity markets, corporates, trade, and economic policy. He considers himself an above-average photographer, which goes well with his love for travel. ... Read More
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