New Delhi: In a first for the company, Air India and Air India Express have grounded flight number 171 forever in memory of the 274 people who lost their lives in the devastating Air India Flight AI-171 accident in Ahmedabad on June 9, 2025.
The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, with 242 passengers and crew aboard, was bound for London when it crashed into a medical college hostel in Meghani Nagar, about two kilometres outside Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport, a few seconds after taking off at 1:38 p.m. IST. The accident claimed the lives of 241 people on board and 33 on the ground, including medical students, making it the worst aviation disaster in India in decades.
Air India Flight 171 was permanently cancelled by the company as a sign of honour to the dead. The company will now operate the Ahmedabad-London Gatwick flight as AI-159. The Air India Express also cancelled its IX-171 flight number, following an industry custom to prevent any painful memories. Such a step was made previously by Air India Express in 2020, following a crash in Kozhikode, when the airline retired the number of that flight.
The move is in line with an international aviation custom that airlines ground flight numbers involved in big disasters as a memorial to the victims, as well as to alleviate emotional distress among passengers and the flight crew. ‘It is a matter of sensitivity and closure,’ an Air India spokesperson told PTI.
The government of India has initiated an elevated investigation headed by Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan to look into the casualties of the crash and prescribe preventive mechanisms. The panel comprises officials from the senior ranks of the Civil Aviation Ministry, Gujarat Home Department, Indian Air Force, DGCA, and Intelligence Bureau, among others. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is separately analysing the black box recovered on June 10 to identify technical factors.
As the nation grieves, the decommissioning of 171 and the investigations that are underway are indications that efforts are being made to honour the dead and avert future disasters.