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Hindustan Times
15 hours ago
- Health
- Hindustan Times
Flights delayed, cancelled, crashed: Travel anxiety takes off
After the deadly Flight AI171 crash in Ahmedabad, there has been an uptick in cancellations, delays, and mid-air returns. Between June 12 and 17, 83 Air India flights were cancelled. According to reports, 66 of them were Boeing 787 Dreamliners. A Delhi to Bali flight turned back mid-air on Wednesday due to a volcanic eruption. Yesterday, a flight carrying 180 passengers made an emergency landing in Delhi from Leh after a technical glitch. This series of incidents, combined with rising chatter on social media, is fuelling a fresh wave of flight anxiety. This fear of flying can make people feel sick, sweaty, or panicked. It often includes intrusive thoughts and a feeling of being out of control. Travellers are suddenly paying close attention to flight numbers, aircraft models, and weather alerts. Searches for 'safest airline 2025' and 'how to calm flying fear' have shot up on Google Trends. Bangalore-based digital creator Swati Chauhan says, 'Most of my travels are by air. But after so many incidents, it feels uneasy to even enter an airport. On top of that, Instagram Reels are showing astrologers saying the Ahmedabad crash happened because the flight number adds up to nine, which is considered unlucky. All of this unverified information is increasing my stress.' In another case, entrepreneur Gurbani Bhatia from Gurugram, who was set to fly to New York this week, rescheduled and changed her flight. 'There have been so many cases of Indian flights being cancelled or delayed, so I decided to go with an international airline even though the route is longer due to the Iran airspace closure,' she says. Aerophobia, or fear of flying, is rarely about being in the air itself. 'It is about feeling out of control,' says Dr Deeksha Parthsarthi, neuropsychiatrist. 'You are far from home, you cannot get off, and you are placing trust in strangers and machines.' Psychologically and neurologically, the brain responds to flight incidents even from a distance. 'Hearing about a crash can trigger vicarious trauma,' says Dr Sneha Sharma, psychiatrist. 'The brain stores it like a real memory.' This activates the amygdala, which overrides logic and triggers the body's fight or flight response. People may experience nausea, a racing heart, breathlessness, or panic. Ordinary in-flight sounds, turbulence, or airport announcements can act as triggers. Claustrophobia, motion sensitivity, or fear of heights can make symptoms worse. Social pressure adds to the challenge. 'People fear losing control on a flight, but they also fear being judged for it,' says Dr Sharma. There is no single solution for flying anxiety, but experts say small, intentional habits can help you feel more grounded before and during a flight. Avoid reading aviation news right before flying. Listen to calming music. Caffeine and sugar can mimic symptoms of panic, such as a racing heart or jitters, so it is best to avoid them. Drink water or herbal tea and eat light meals instead. 2. During takeoff or turbulence: Use the box breathing method. Inhale for four counts, hold for four, exhale for four, and hold again for four. Repeat this for a few minutes, especially during takeoff or bumpy moments. 3. For the journey: Carry familiar comforts. A lavender roller, a scarf, or a favourite book can serve as calming cues if you feel overwhelmed. 4. Let the crew know: Informing the cabin crew that you are an anxious flyer can make a difference. They are trained to help and may check on you during the flight. As more people seek reassurance before they fly, travel insurance is becoming more than just a document. For many, it now feels like a mental safety net. Trip cancellation insurance can help if you need to cancel for medical or personal reasons. Baggage delay insurance protects you if your luggage goes missing or arrives late. Flight delay coverage can pay for hotel stays and meals if you are stuck overnight. Personal accident insurance, legal cover, and medical emergency protection are also becoming common even for short trips. These services give travellers a sense of structure, especially in uncertain times. (Inputs by Manjari Singhal, Chief Growth and Business Officer, Cleartrip) If your flight is delayed by two to four hours, airlines must offer tea, coffee, or snacks. Delays beyond four hours require a proper meal. If you are stuck overnight, a hotel stay with airport transfers must be provided. For cancellations, most airlines offer a full refund if cancelled within 24 hours and at least seven days before departure. Compensation rules vary by airline and depend on the cause of the delay or disruption.
NDTV
a day ago
- General
- NDTV
'Right Engine Changed, Left Inspected': Air India On Dreamliner Plane Crash
New Delhi: The right engine of the Air India plane that crashed 36 seconds after take-off from Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Airport - killing 274 people - was overhauled in March 2025 and the left was inspected in April, Campbell Wilson, the airline's Managing Director, said Thursday. The London Gatwick-bound plane was 'well-maintained, with its last major inspection in June 2023 and another scheduled for December 2025', Wilson said in an open letter to customers. The aircraft and engines showed no issues before the flight, and the pilots - Captain Sumeet Sabharwal and First Officer Clive Kunder - had 13,400 hours of flying experience, he said. Reassurances from the airline's boss follow questions about the safety of the Air India's 128-strong fleet, of which 33 (32 after the June 12 crash) are Boeing 787 Dreamliners. The prevailing theory is a double engine failure or a total electronic or hydraulic malfunction, which is supported by aural and visual evidence of the RAT, or Ram Air Turbine, deploying before the crash. Deployment of the RAT suggests double engine failure, experts told NDTV. Experts speaking to British broadcaster BBC, however, said the condition of a plane's engine is not necessarily linked to its age, particularly in the case of the Genx-1B engines on the 787-8. These engines, ex- aviation investigator Kishore Chinta said, do not have a maintenance schedule because of a software called Full Authority Digital Engine Control thats monitors and flags issues. However, there are still parts that must be replaced regularly due to wear-and-tear, he said. Wilson told customers "thorough safety inspections" had been ordered on Air India's Dreamliner fleet and that checks had been completed for 26, which are now cleared to fly. As a precaution though, "enhanced pre-flight safety checks" on all Boeing 787 planes will continue for the time being, leading to a 15 per cent reduction in its use of widebody planes. This is expected to continue till mid-July. Wilson said the time to perform these checks, and factors such as airspace closure over parts of West Asia, "led to a higher-than-usual number of cancellations on our long-haul network". According to aviation regulator DGCA, Air India has cancelled 66 Dreamliner flights since the crash, with the highest number (22) the day after the disaster. Air India Ahmedabad-London Plane Crash The plane was carrying a full load of fuel and 272 people, including the pilots and 10 crew members. All but one - a British-Indian man with the most incredible luck - were killed. At least 33 people on the ground also died after the plane, which struggled to gain altitude after take-off, crashed into a residential area less than 2km from the airport. A widely-shared video of the crash, shot on a mobile phone by a teen boy from the roof of his home, showed the plane, its jet engines, shrieking shrilly but in vain, falling into the Meghani Nagar area. The tail section of the AI 171 seen sticking out of the hostel for college students. A hostel for medical students took the brunt of the impact; horrific visuals from the crash site showed the plane's tail sticking out of the building. Former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani was one of the passengers. The 'Black Boxes' The flight data and voice recorders, together called the 'black box', have been found and the information within could potentially explain the reason for the crash. However, the device suffered some damage in the crash and will require an extraction process to access the data. READ | Air India 'Black Box' Damaged, Centre To Decide On Sending It Abroad It is unclear if this extraction will be done in India or abroad. In the event the 'black boxes' are sent to the US, Indian officials will accompany it to ensure protocols are followed. What Happened To Flight AI-171 The plane took off June 12 at 1.39 pm, the Civil Aviation Ministry spokesperson said last week, and within seconds, radioed Ahmedabad ATC about a lack of thrust and then went radio silent. "Mayday! Mayday! Thrust not achieved..." were Captain Sabharwal's final words. Ahmedabad ATC immediately tried to contact the flight but there was no response. Seconds later the plane crashed into buildings in the Meghani Nagar neighbourhood, including the college hostel.
India.com
2 days ago
- General
- India.com
Very Sorry: Air India Chairman N Chandrasekharan Apologises After AI-171 Tragedy
New Delhi: N Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons and Air India, has apologised for the Air India AI-171 tragedy that claimed more than 270 lives after the flight crashed in Ahmedabad on June 12. He said, "It is an extremely difficult situation where I have no words to express to console any of the families of those who died. I deeply regret that this accident happened in a Tata-run airline. And I feel very sorry. All we can do is to be with the families at this time, grieve with them, and we will do everything to support them at this hour and beyond." When asked about the reason for the crash and whether Air India is privy to any preliminary findings, Chandrasekaran said one would have to wait for the probe to conclude. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau has begun its investigations into the crash, and the DGCA has also appointed a committee. Chandrasekaran said that it could be a month until some of the preliminary findings are out. He, however, claimed that AI171, the flight that crashed, had a clean history and that no red flags had been raised. "There are speculations about human error, speculations about airlines, speculations about engines, maintenance, all kinds," Chandrasekaran said. "There are a lot of speculations and theories. But the fact that I know so far is that this particular aircraft, this specific tail, AI-171, has a clean history. As for the engines, the right engine was a new engine put in March 2025. The left engine was last serviced in 2023 and is due for its next maintenance check in December 2025. Both engine histories are clean. Both pilots were exceptional," he added. Chandrasekaran further said, "Captain Sabharwal had more than 11,500 hours of flying experience, and the first officer, Clive (Kundar) had more than 3400 hours of flying experience. What I hear from colleagues is that they were excellent pilots and great professionals. So, we can't jump to any conclusions. I am told by all the experts that the black box and recorders will definitely tell the story. So, we just have to wait for that." When asked about the show-cause notices that had been issued by the DGCA in the recent past to Air India or fines levied on the airline for delays and operational matters, the Tata Sons Chairman said these were not related to the AI-171 aircraft. "These are different from safety issues. If there is a safety issue, there is no way the DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) will allow us to fly. And with respect to this specific aircraft, what I have seen is what I have told you," said, Tata Sons Chairman. Chandrasekaran also said that none of the 33 Boeing 787 Dreamliners that are part of Air India's fleet are serviced by Turkish Technic, amid questions being raised about any Turkish link to the aircraft that crashed. "None of them (the 33 Dreamliners) are maintained by Turkish Technic. Most of them are maintained by AIESL (AI Engineering Services Limited) or SIA Engineering Company (whose parent organisation is Singapore Airlines)," he added.
The Print
2 days ago
- Business
- The Print
Week after AI-171 crash, Air India announces 15% cut in international widebody aircraft
Air India currently has a fleet of 33 Boeing 787s, all of which are widebody aircraft. New Delhi: Days after the crash of its Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner in Ahmedabad claimed the lives of 241 on board, Air India Wednesday reduced its international services on widebody aircraft by 15 percent. 'This move to ensure stability of operations, better efficiency and minimise inconvenience to passengers,' the carrier said in a statement. Six international Boeing Dreamliner 787-8s operated by Air India were cancelled Tuesday. Additionally, an Air India flight from Hong Kong to Delhi had to reportedly return to Hong Kong due to a technical issue. Passengers were also deboarded in Kolkata in a San Francisco-Mumbai flight on account of a technical snag reported during its scheduled halt. Moreover, two Boeing 787 Dreamliners operated by Lufthansa and British Airways also were forced to return to their airport or origin. These were flying from Frankfurt and London to Hyderabad and Chennai, respectively. On Monday, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) held a high-level meeting with senior officials of Air India and Air India Express during which the aviation regulator raised 'concerns regarding recent maintenance-related issues reported by Air India' and 'advised' the carrier 'to strengthen internal coordination across engineering, operations, ground handling units and ensure availability of adequate spares to mitigate passenger delays resulting from such issues and strictly adhere to regulations'. The Ministry of Civil Aviation in a statement also said: 'The recent surveillance conducted on Air India's Boeing 787 fleet did not reveal any major safety concerns. The aircraft and associated maintenance systems were found to be compliant with existing safety standards.' On 12 June, the London-bound Air India flight AI-171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad airport. Of the 242 people including 12 crew members on board, 241 died in the crash. The crash also killed those on the ground including medical students of the B.J. Medical College, taking the death toll to at least 270. 'The investigating authorities are continuing their efforts to find out the reasons for the accident. The DGCA had mandated 'Enhanced Safety Inspection' across Air India's Boeing 787-8/9 aircraft fleet. Out of the total 33 aircrafts, inspections have now been completed on 26 and these have been cleared for service, while inspection of the remainder will be complete in the coming days. The fact that 26 aircraft have been cleared gives reassurance in the safety measures and procedures that we follow,' Air India said in its statement issued late Wednesday. It added that it will also undertake 'enhanced safety checks on its Boeing 777 fleet'. 'Due to the geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, night curfew in the airspaces of many countries in Europe and East Asia, the ongoing enhanced safety inspections, and also the necessary cautious approach being taken by the engineering staff and Air India pilots, there have been certain disruptions in our international operations over the last 6 days leading to a total of 83 cancellations,' the statement said. The airline added that cuts will be implemented between now and 20 June and will continue thereafter until at least mid-July. 'Given the compounding circumstances that Air India is facing, to ensure stability of our operations, better efficiency and to minimise inconvenience to passengers, Air India has decided to reduce its international services on widebody aircraft by 15% for the next few weeks,' the statement said. (Edited by Amrtansh Arora) Also read: Behind the scenes of Gujarat's Air India crash response—4 IAS officers, 36 DNA experts & 230 teams
India.com
2 days ago
- General
- India.com
Days after Ahmedabad plane crash, Tata Group chairman Chandrasekaran makes big statement, says 'crashed Air India plane had...'
Tata Sons and Air India Chairman N Chandrasekaran on Wednesday 'apologised' for the Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad last week that claimed more than 270 lives. He said he was heartbroken and didn't have the words to comfort the families who lost their loved ones. 'This is a very painful time,' he said. 'As the chairman of Tata, I feel deeply sorry that this tragedy happened on one of our flights. All we can do now is stand by the families, share in their grief, and support them in every possible way—not just now, but in the days to come.' The tragic crash happened on June 12, shortly after takeoff. The Air India flight, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner headed to London, went down in a medical college complex near the airport in Ahmedabad. There were 242 people on board, including passengers and crew. In an exclusive interview with the Group Editor-in-Chief of Times Now and Times Now Navbharat, Navika Kumar, Chandrasekaran said it was too early to know the exact reason for the crash. He explained that investigations are still going on and that it might take around a month before any initial findings are shared. The government has also set up a special committee to look into the incident. Chandrasekaran said flight, AI171 had no history of technical issues Chandrasekaran added that the flight, AI171, had no history of technical issues and there had been no warning signs before the crash. 'There are all kinds of speculations right now—some say it could be human error, others talk about engine issues, airline problems, or maintenance lapses,' Chandrasekaran said. 'But from the information I have at this moment, the aircraft involved in the crash had a clean record.' He explained that the right engine of the plane was brand new and had been installed just three months ago, in March 2025. The left engine was last serviced in 2023 and was not due for its next maintenance until December 2025. 'Both engines had clear histories with no red flags,' he said. He also spoke highly of the flight crew. 'Captain Sabharwal was an experienced pilot with over 11,500 flying hours. First Officer Clive Kundar had over 3,400 hours. Everyone I've spoken to says they were both excellent at their jobs—skilled and professional.' Chandrasekaran stressed that it's too early to point fingers. 'The investigation is underway. The black box and cockpit voice recorder will give us the real picture. Until then, we must avoid jumping to conclusions.' Addressing concerns about previous penalties and notices issued by aviation authorities to Air India, Chandrasekaran clarified, 'Those were related to things like flight delays or other operations—not safety. If there was ever a safety concern, the DGCA would not let us fly.' There were also questions about whether any part of Air India's fleet is maintained by a Turkish company, following online speculation. Chandrasekaran denied any such link. 'None of our 33 Boeing 787 Dreamliners are serviced by Turkish Technic. They're maintained either by AI Engineering Services Limited (AIESL) or Singapore-based SIA Engineering Company,' he said. Former Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel had questioned why Singapore Airlines, a shareholder in Air India and a company responsible for maintaining several wide-body aircraft, has remained silent. Replying to this, Chandrasekaran said, 'Singapore Airlines has been a great partner. Since we took over, they've helped us in many ways—including improving safety procedures. We've adopted several best practices from both Singapore Airlines and Vistara. Their CEO has been in regular contact with me, and they have offered full support during this difficult time.' Chandrasekaran on Boeing's manufacturing processes On allegations raised by whistleblowers in the U.S. about Boeing's manufacturing processes specifically related to the 787 Dreamliner, which was the model involved in the crash Chandrasekaran said the matter is being investigated in the U.S. but added, 'The 787s have been in service for many years, and we already had 27 of them in our fleet when we bought Air India. We've not found any issues with them in our regular checks.' Since the crash on June 12, there has been a noticeable rise in flight delays and cancellations by Air India, which has caused concern among travellers. Chandrasekaran acknowledged this and said that more needs to be done to keep passengers informed. 'We operate over 1,100 flights a day, and over the last six days, anywhere between 5 to 18 flights have been cancelled daily. We agree that communication with passengers has to improve. That's why we have set up a dedicated communications team over the past three days.' He also confirmed that he has personally spoken with senior leadership at Boeing and GE, the companies behind the aircraft and its engines. 'Alongside the DGCA checks, I've asked Boeing and GE to carry out their own reviews and inform us if they find any issues with the aircraft or engines,' he said.
