12/06/2025
Air India Flight 171: What a Sad Day
Kelechi Deca
This is bad for Air India, this is bad for Boeing, and this is bad for geopolitics
Air India Boeing 787 that crashed upon departure from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International in Ahmedabad. The widebody twinjet was operating a scheduled service to London Gatwick Airport (LGW), with flight tracking data suggesting that it transmitted its last signal at an altitude of around 625 feet.
This means it was still ascending when whatever happened to it happened.
According to coverage by Flightradar24, tracking data pertaining to the flight suggests that it reached a maximum altitude of around 625 feet before crashing outside the airport perimeter, with reports suggesting that the 787 came down on a school.
According to London Gatwick International, the "AI171, that crashed on departure from Ahmedabad Airport today, was due to land at London Gatwick at 18:25." The aircraft in question, a Boeing 787-8 registered as VT-ANB, was due to operate a flight back to Goa this evening, with this service having subsequently been canceled.
The VT-ANB is one of 27 Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners in Air India's fleet. It is 11.5 years old, and has 259 seats onboard in a two-class configuration. Air India said that there were 230 passengers and 12 crew members onboard, representing the higher end of the initially stated range.
A statement issued by India's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) confirmed that the crew of the aircraft "gave a MAYDAY Call to ATC, but thereafter no response was given by the aircraft to the calls made by ATC."
Bad for Air India
Some aviation experts are analyzing the video at present, and one issues some have raised is the positioning of the Flaps of the aircraft especially as the gears are still down.
But with poor visual quality, not much can be ascertained for now. If investigations arrive at Pilot’s error that would be bad news for an airline that recently started pulling its weight across the region and internationally since the takeover by Tata Group.
Tata Group bought over Air India three years ago and has pumped money into the venture to improve both human capacity and infrastructure.
However, others disagree saying that the Boeing 787 is equipped with a Takeoff Configuration warning System (TOCWS), so the master caution alarm would've gone off if the flaps weren't extended.
On this 787 it's not that easy to tell if the flaps are extended on takeoff especially in a rather low quality video. From the ATC, reports say that Mayday was called. Mayday mayday mayday no thrust, no lift…. signifying engine problems. Two engines malfunctioning at same time is rare.
Bad news for Boeing
Boeing shares have taken a hit with this news. And may receive more hits if investigations point at equipment malfunction.
This is not good for the American aircraft manufacturing giant that is yet to fully recover from the disaster caused by Boeing 737 Max aircraft. Just yesterday, I was reading the latest market report from Boeing where they were bullish about May.
In May, Boeing secured more than 300 aircraft orders, including the largest widebody aircraft order in history, placed by Qatar Airways. The plane maker handed over 45 jets and rolled out 38 new 737 MAX aircraft, reaching its planned production target.
Qatar had placed firm orders for 75 Boeing 787-10 Dreamliners, 45 Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners, and 30 Boeing 777X aircraft, along with options for an additional 50 jets. This strong performance comes ahead of the upcoming Paris Air Show 2025, where Boeing plans to highlight its focus on innovation, partnerships, and collaboration.
The saving grace for Boeing in this Air India crash would be if the error that brought down the 787 has nothing to do with equipment malfunctioning mechanical, electrical or navigational. If not, there would be flurry of cancelations and another period of image tarnishing.
Bad for Geopolitics
If any form of sabotage is detected, then India would easily point accusing fingers at its neighbor Pakistan. Just last month, a Indigo Airline with 220 passengers from Delhi to Srinagar ran into heavy storms.
The Pilot requested a safer passage through Pakistan airspace, but the Pakistani ATC denied that request, forcing the Pilot to brave the storm which damaged the nose of the plane and led to injuries of some passengers. If any sort of sabotage is detected in this crash, India would easily think of their enmity with Pakistan.
With about 245 people dead, this is mass mourning across the world. Sad.
