Air India Ignored Deadly Warning a Year Before Ahmedabad Crash? Shocking Allegation Emerges
New Delhi (The Uttam Hindu): A week after the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad that claimed nearly 270 lives, the incident has taken a shocking new turn. Two former senior Air India flight attendants have made explosive allegations against the airline, claiming they had warned of a technical fault in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner exactly one year before the Ahmedabad tragedy.
According to a Times of India report, the two crew members wrote a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, stating that not only were their safety concerns ignored, but they were also allegedly pressured to alter their official statements. When they refused, Air India terminated their employment, they claimed.
In their complaint, the whistleblowers cited an incident from May 14, 2024, involving flight AI-129, a Boeing 787 (VT-ANQ) flying from Mumbai to London. After docking at Heathrow Airport and disembarkation of passengers, the crew followed the checklist to confirm the door was in manual mode before opening it. However, as soon as the door was opened, the emergency slide raft deployed, which typically happens only in automatic mode.
They also claimed that the pilot and cabin-in-charge had confirmed the technical glitch in writing. The attendants say they reported the issue to higher officials, who then allegedly tried to force them to retract their statements.
The letter further alleges that both Air India and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) tried to cover up not only the May 14 incident but other faults in the Dreamliner aircraft as well. Despite the gravity of the safety concerns, only a “formal investigation” was launched, with no follow-up or transparency, they wrote.
These revelations have raised serious concerns about Air India’s safety protocols, especially in the wake of the Ahmedabad crash — India’s deadliest aviation disaster in recent memory.