The North News
New Delhi, June 17
Air India has cancelled two more international flights following a series of recent technical issues and a deadly crash linked to one of its predecessor services. The airline on Tuesday called off flight AI 170 from London Gatwick to Amritsar and AI 143 from Delhi to Paris, according to media reports. No official explanation has been issued for the cancellations.
Earlier, Air India grounded flight AI 159 from Ahmedabad to London, citing a technical fault. The move came just days after a catastrophic crash involving its predecessor flight, AI 171, which went down shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad en route to London Gatwick on 12 June. The crash killed 274 people—241 onboard and 33 on the ground.
Following the disaster, Air India renumbered the service, with AI 171 replaced by AI 159, and its return leg now listed as AI 160.
On Monday, another technical scare forced flight AI 315—operating between Hong Kong and Delhi—to return to Hong Kong shortly after departure. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner reported a suspected system malfunction mid-air. The pilot made a precautionary decision to return, and the aircraft landed safely at Hong Kong International Airport. All passengers were unharmed.
Commenting on the flight cancellations, an Air India spokesperson said, “We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to our passengers and are actively working to arrange alternative travel options to ensure they reach their destinations at the earliest. Affected passengers are being provided hotel accommodation, and we are offering either full refunds or complimentary rescheduling, based on their preference. As a result, flight AI142 from Paris to Delhi, scheduled for June 17, 2025, has also been cancelled.”
