Air India Bounces Back: Passenger Numbers Recover After Tragic Crash
Air India has successfully navigated a challenging period, with its passenger volumes largely recovering from a significant dip that followed the tragic crash of flight AI-171 in June. This update was provided directly by the airline's CEO and Managing Director, Campbell Wilson, during his first interaction with reporters since the incident.
A Proactive Safety Response
In the immediate aftermath of the devastating crash near Ahmedabad, which resulted in the loss of 241 lives on board and 19 on the ground, Air India initiated a comprehensive "safety pause". This critical measure involved conducting additional voluntary pre-flight technical checks on its aircraft fleet and adopting a more cautious approach across all flight operations.
This period of heightened scrutiny led to a 15 percent reduction in wide-body aircraft operations, a decision influenced by both the safety pause and various regional airspace closures. However, the airline demonstrated its resilience by reverting to normal wide-body operations starting in October, with only a minimal number of services remaining affected.
Steady Recovery in Bookings and Operations
CEO Campbell Wilson acknowledged an initial drop in passenger bookings in the months following the accident. “In the first few months, yes, we did see a drop in bookings, but it has recovered,” he stated, providing concrete figures to illustrate the scale of recovery. “We have operated well over 100,000 flights since June. We’ve carried 15 million-odd people, so the volumes have come back.”
This recovery trend is visible in both domestic and international segments. Wilson did note a caveat for markets like North America, where it is difficult to separate demand-side impacts from supply-side effects caused by ongoing airspace restrictions.
Progress on Victim Compensation
A significant portion of the discussion focused on the sensitive and crucial process of compensating the families of the victims. Wilson shared that substantial progress has been made through the AI-171 Memorial and Welfare Trust, established by the airline's parent company, Tata Sons.
95 percent of the victims' families have already received their interim compensation of Rs 25 lakh. Furthermore, the ex gratia payment of Rs 1 crore has been disbursed to approximately 70 families so far.
With a total of 180 affected families identified, the compensation process for another 50 families is currently underway. Wilson emphasized the airline's commitment to a fair and well-managed process, explaining that the pace is sometimes dictated by the need to gather necessary information and validation from the families themselves, and to help them determine the appropriate recipient.
Ongoing Investigation and Operational Review
The preliminary investigation report into the crash indicated that the aircraft went down after both engines were starved of fuel. This occurred as the two fuel control switches transitioned from the 'RUN' to the 'CUTOFF' position within a second of each other shortly after lift-off.
Intriguingly, data from the cockpit voice recorder captured one pilot questioning the other about cutting off the fuel, with the second pilot denying having done so. The report carefully used the term "transitioned" and did not state that the switches were physically moved by either pilot, leaving the exact cause still under investigation. The final probe report is anticipated in the coming months.
Despite the preliminary report not containing specific recommendations for Air India, Boeing, or GE, Wilson confirmed that the airline independently undertook a significant effort to review and enhance its operations and safety practices following the tragedy, reaffirming its commitment to passenger safety.
