Air India drops flight number AI-171 after Ahmedabad tragedy
Air India has decided to drop its flight number AI-171 following the terrible Ahmedabad tragedy. The flight from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick will now operate under a new number — AI-159.
This change comes after a horrific incident on Thursday when Air India flight AI-171 crashed shortly after takeoff from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner was carrying 169 Indian nationals, 53 British, 7 Portuguese, and 1 Canadian. The plane tragically struck a nearby hostel building, killing all 241 people on board and many more on the ground.
Why Air India made this change — and what it means for you
It’s a universal practice in the airline industry to discontinue flight numbers after a tragedy — a symbol of honoring the victims and letting a painful route “retire.”
“It’s a way to disassociate the route from the tragedy in the minds of passengers and crew,” a former Air India official explained. So now when you fly from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, you’ll board AI-159 instead of AI-171.
Also Read Air India Plane Crash in Ahmedabad: What the Government Shared in First Press Conference?
This kind of change might seem tiny, but for many, it’s a powerful, respectful move. It lets Air India start a new chapter while honoring those who tragically lost their lives.
It’s kind of like removing a jersey number after a superstar retires — you’re honoring their legacy and making sure the future is a fresh start.
The government has set up a high-level multidisciplinary committee to investigate the incident. The team, led by the Home Secretary and including members from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, Air Force, and aviation experts, aims to find the cause of the tragedy and make sure it never happens again.
This isn’t the first time an airline has made a change like this. After the disappearance of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in 2014, the flight number was changed from MH370 to MH318. Similarly, Lion Air changed its flight number from JT610 to JT618 after the 2018 Java Sea tragedy.
Also Read AI-171 Crash: Unretracted Landing Gear, Engine Failure? Veteran Pilot Speaks Out
