New Delhi: Following the devastating crash of Flight AI 171 in Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025, and a shocking passenger survey on safety and service, the once-proud Indian airline, Air India, is facing a serious crisis of trust. Polls indicated that most people want urgent reforms, as confirmed by a report on the LocalCircles website dated June 22.
The survey, which received responses from 15,000 passengers in India, revealed that 79 per cent rated the quality and maintenance of Air India’s aircraft negatively, a significant decline from 55 per cent in 2024. The accident of an aircraft, AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, took the lives of 241 out of 242 onboard passengers and 38 people on the ground, leaving one passenger, Vishwashkumar Ramesh, alive. The accident exposed systemic failures in maintenance and operations, making it the deadliest aviation accident in Indian history since 1996.
Passenger complaints are erupting. Baggage issues increased to 48 per cent, compared to 38 per cent previously; complaints about in-flight entertainment rose to 36 per cent from 24 per cent, and customer service-related complaints grew to 31 per cent, up from 24 per cent. The plunge of Air India in this condition is shocking, according to aviation expert Capt. A.K. Sharma, who said that the service has suffered due to the containerisation of items and haste in retrofitting. On social media, there was outrage on X, with people asking whether the acquisition of Tata in 2022 was for maximum profit rather than passenger safety.
There were notable improvements in certain areas. Complaints over on-time performance reduced to 46 per cent, down from 69 per cent, and criticism of staff behaviour declined by 31 per cent to 38 per cent. This progress was, however, countered by the AI171 crash, which made the DGCA put three senior Air India executives on suspension on June 22 over crew scheduling lapses. The DGCA issued a warning that further violations could lead to licence suspension, and Air India is currently scrutinising 34 Dreamliners.
Engine thrust and landing gear are the central variables suggested by the crash investigation, clogged by a damaged cockpit voice recording. Capt. Mohan Ranganathan, an aviation expert, says Air India needs to rework its maintenance procedures, pointing at delays in spare parts as a major cause. Survey passengers asked the government to establish the high-level committee under the control of the DGCA and Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) to deal with complaints and introduce higher standards.
The public morale has been shaken by Air India’s decline, which resulted from the 84 cancelled flights since the crash and the subsequent relief package of 1 crore given to the victims’ families. The power of restoration of trust through vigorous safety assessments and improvement of service will define the future of the airlines in the competitive aviation sector in India, as the airline is under a great deal of scrutiny.