In the wake of the deadly crash of Air India flight AI171 in Ahmedabad on 12 June, the Indian national airline has cancelled dozens of flights over the next 25 days – with a warning that cuts could continue beyond that.
At least 275 people died when the Boeing 737 Max came down moments after take-off on a flight to London Gatwick.
Air India has axed 15 per cent of its international wide-bodied schedule between 21 June and 15 July. Links from Amritsar and Goa to London Gatwick have been suspended, while there will be fewer flights on routes to and from London Heathrow and Birmingham airports.
These are the key questions and answers.
What’s the background?
Air India’s chief executive, Campbell Wilson, told passengers: “Arising from this tragedy, and as directed by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), 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.
“Regrettably, the time required to perform these enhanced safety checks, along with the application of extra caution, external factors like airspace closures in Iran and the Middle East as well as night-time restrictions at some international airports, along with normal airline technical issues, has led to a higher-than-usual number of cancellations on our long-haul network in the past few days. We know these disruptions have been frustrating, and we’re truly sorry for the inconvenience.”
What is being done?
The Air India boss said: “As a confidence-building measure, we have elected to continue enhanced pre-flight safety checks on our Boeing 787 fleet and, as an added measure, our 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 wide-body flights by around 15 per cent.”
He said the cancellations would continue “through to at least mid-July”, suggesting there could be further disruption.
“This will also allow us to have more backup aircraft ready to handle any unexpected issues,” he said.
Which UK routes are affected?
Cancelled until 15 July (or later):
Amritsar and Goa to London Gatwick, due to be flown three times a week on each route.
Reduced frequencies
Delhi-London Heathrow: Two of the 24 flights each week cancelled.
Bengaluru-London Heathrow: One of the daily flights cancelled.
Amritsar-Birmingham and Delhi-Birmingham: One of the three-a-week flights cancelled on each route.
Any impact further afield?
Yes. Connecting flights from Delhi to Melbourne, Sydney, Seoul and Tokyo have had frequencies reduced, making onward connections more difficult.
What does the airline say?
“Air India apologises to the passengers affected by these curtailments, and is proactively contacting affected passengers to offer a choice of:
- “Re-accommodation on alternative flights
- “Complimentary rescheduling
- “Full refunds”
It appears that the first two options are basically the same. There is no clarity about whether alternative flights will be on Air India only, or on other airlines.
I have a booking for the summer. What are my rights?
It depends on whether you are flying from the UK (or elsewhere in Europe) to India, or in the opposite direction.
Starting in Europe, you are covered by air passengers’ rights rules that insist in the event of a cancellation, you should be offered the best available alternative – including on another airline if that is the optimum way to get you to your destination on schedule.
You should also be provided with meals and, if necessary, accommodation until you reach your destination.
Some passengers may request compensation of £520 if the cancellation is notified less than two weeks in advance and significantly disrupts their travel plans.
Flying from outside the UK/EU on a non-European airline like Air India, you have no such rights. You may be restricted to Air India, or fellow airline members of the Star Alliance. You are not automatically entitled to meals and accommodation.
Anything more?
Airline boss Campbell Wilson says: “This is a challenging time for all of us. We are grateful for your support, and your understanding that safety must always come first. Your trust means everything to us, so if you have any questions or need assistance, please don’t hesitate to contact us through our customer support channels.”
