Tata Sons and Air India chairman N Chandrasekaran has shared his thoughts on the tragic crash of Air India flight AI171 that happened in Ahmedabad on June 12, killing over 270 people, including all 241 onboard and several on the ground. He said it’s a heartbreaking situation and asked people not to jump to conclusions until the black box is analysed.
The flight, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, was on its way to London when it crashed shortly after takeoff, hitting a medical college complex.
Chandrasekaran expressed his sorrow and said, “I have no words to console the families. I deeply regret that this happened with a Tata-run airline. All we can do now is support the families during this painful time and beyond.”
No Prior Issues with the Plane or Engines
He confirmed that there were no warning signs or problems with the aircraft before the crash. Both engines were in good shape — the right engine was new, installed in March 2025, and the left one was serviced in 2023 and not due for maintenance until December 2025.
He also highlighted that both pilots were highly experienced.
- Captain Sabharwal had over 11,500 flying hours,
- First Officer Clive Kundar had over 3,400 hours.
Colleagues described them as excellent professionals.
He emphasized that people should avoid speculating about what caused the crash — whether it was human error, a technical fault, or something else — and wait for the official investigation to finish. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau and a government panel are currently looking into it, and early results may take up to a month.
Clarifying Misconceptions
Chandrasekaran also addressed a few other concerns:
- DGCA penalties and notices were not related to this aircraft. He assured that if there were any safety risks, the DGCA would not have allowed the plane to fly.
- He denied reports suggesting that Turkish Technic maintained the aircraft. Instead, most Air India Dreamliners are maintained by AI Engineering Services (AIESL) or SIA Engineering Company.
- He dismissed concerns about Singapore Airlines’ silence, saying their CEO has been in constant touch and offering help.
- On questions related to Boeing’s manufacturing flaws, he said these are being investigated in the US, and no issues were found in Air India’s regular safety checks.
Flight Cancellations and Response
Following the crash, some Air India flights were delayed or cancelled, upsetting passengers. Chandrasekaran admitted they need to improve communication. A new strategic communication team has been set up to manage this better.
He also said that he had spoken directly with top executives at Boeing and GE and asked them to thoroughly check if there were any problems with the planes or engines.
