Priyanka Tiwari
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Suspense crime, Digital Desk : In a compassionate and respectful gesture, Air India has decided to permanently retire the flight number "AI 171" following a tragic accident that resulted in the death of a ground crew member at Ahmedabad's Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport.
The incident involved an aircraft scheduled to operate as flight AI 171 from Ahmedabad to Delhi. An aircraft maintenance engineering trainee was fatally injured in a ground accident involving a tow tractor before the plane's departure.
Sources within the airline explained that the decision was made to avoid causing distress or anxiety to future passengers. Retiring a flight number after a fatal incident is a common practice in the aviation industry, done out of respect for the victims and to sever the psychological connection between a route and a tragedy. The airline aims to prevent the flight number from becoming a "haunted" reminder of the painful event for travelers and crew alike.
While the physical aircraft involved will eventually return to service after a thorough investigation and maintenance, the designation "AI 171" will no longer be used by the airline.
Air India has expressed its deep condolences to the family of the deceased employee and is fully cooperating with the ongoing investigation led by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA). This move underscores the airline's commitment to both the well-being of its staff and the comfort of its passengers, ensuring that the memory of the route is not overshadowed by this unfortunate loss.
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