When a plane crashes, people want straight answers. On 12 June, Air India’s London-bound Flight AI-171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, went down just seconds after taking off from Ahmedabad. It slammed into a student hostel at BJ Medical College, killing 241 passengers and crew, plus 19 people on the ground.
This wasn’t just another accident for the record books. It forced Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to switch gears fast. Originally set to discuss how airports charge fees, the meeting turned into a grilling of India’s top aviation bosses.
Which is the safest aircraft?
Air India’s defence is clear. The airline told MPs the Dreamliner remains “one of the safest aircraft in operation”, with over 1,100 flying worldwide. That line came directly from Air India CEO Campbell Wilson, who sat alongside officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the DGCA, the Airports Authority of India, AERA, BCAS, and representatives from airlines like IndiGo and Akasa Air.
What the MPs wanted to know
BJP MP Jagdambika Pal summed up the committee’s mood: “Air safety was the most discussed issue... The black box investigation of the Ahmedabad plane crash is currently underway, and the Dreamliner is supposed to be one of the safest aircraft.”
He also flagged how airfares had spiked after the Pahalgam terror attack and during the Maha Kumbh. He said, “In the meeting, we talked about the Buddhist Circuit... Airfare hikes were also discussed.”
PAC Chairperson KC Venugopal added, “Everybody is concerned about the safety... We are discussing the increase in air fares also, especially post Pahalgam and during Kumbh... The committee has asked them to have clear-cut regulations on fares.”
Patel’s call for more people
Former Civil Aviation Minister and NCP MP Praful Patel tried to calm nerves. “Safety is paramount. Anyone who flies wants to feel safe and assured that he will reach his destination... Indian aviation is safe. There is no need to be panicking about it. All airlines, including Air India, follow safety protocols. DGCA is well-equipped and does a very good job.”
But Patel didn’t sugarcoat the gaps. “DGCA needs to have more people because they are facing a shortage of top-level skilled manpower. A lot of retired people can be brought back for a short period so that understaffing can be addressed at the higher level to ensure that the safety standards are complied with.”
First time for India
While the airline defended its plane, the investigation went into uncharted territory. For the first time, India is decoding black box data at home. The Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) turned up on 13 June. The Flight Data Recorder (FDR) was found three days later, lodged on a rooftop near the crash site. Both were flown to Delhi by the Indian Air Force.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) retrieved the crash protection module (CPM) and got the data out on 25 June. To double-check the download, they used a “golden chassis” — an identical unit that holds the memory safely.
Global eyes are on this probe too. The team includes experts from the Indian Air Force, HAL, and the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which has jurisdiction because Boeing built the plane. Aviation medicine and air traffic control specialists are also part of the team.
MPs didn’t stop at just one crash. They pointed to other recent incidents, and a pattern they fear is forming: overstretched staff, patchy checks, and a regulator that might be short on muscle. They want the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security to do a thorough audit, and they want more skilled hands at DGCA before the next emergency tests the system.
Air India’s message is simple. The Dreamliner is still one of the safest aircraft you can fly. The skies, they say, remain safe.
But trust, once shaken, is not so easily stitched back together.
This wasn’t just another accident for the record books. It forced Parliament’s Public Accounts Committee (PAC) to switch gears fast. Originally set to discuss how airports charge fees, the meeting turned into a grilling of India’s top aviation bosses.
Which is the safest aircraft?
Air India’s defence is clear. The airline told MPs the Dreamliner remains “one of the safest aircraft in operation”, with over 1,100 flying worldwide. That line came directly from Air India CEO Campbell Wilson, who sat alongside officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation, the DGCA, the Airports Authority of India, AERA, BCAS, and representatives from airlines like IndiGo and Akasa Air.
What the MPs wanted to know
BJP MP Jagdambika Pal summed up the committee’s mood: “Air safety was the most discussed issue... The black box investigation of the Ahmedabad plane crash is currently underway, and the Dreamliner is supposed to be one of the safest aircraft.”
He also flagged how airfares had spiked after the Pahalgam terror attack and during the Maha Kumbh. He said, “In the meeting, we talked about the Buddhist Circuit... Airfare hikes were also discussed.”
PAC Chairperson KC Venugopal added, “Everybody is concerned about the safety... We are discussing the increase in air fares also, especially post Pahalgam and during Kumbh... The committee has asked them to have clear-cut regulations on fares.”
Patel’s call for more people
Former Civil Aviation Minister and NCP MP Praful Patel tried to calm nerves. “Safety is paramount. Anyone who flies wants to feel safe and assured that he will reach his destination... Indian aviation is safe. There is no need to be panicking about it. All airlines, including Air India, follow safety protocols. DGCA is well-equipped and does a very good job.”
But Patel didn’t sugarcoat the gaps. “DGCA needs to have more people because they are facing a shortage of top-level skilled manpower. A lot of retired people can be brought back for a short period so that understaffing can be addressed at the higher level to ensure that the safety standards are complied with.”
First time for India
While the airline defended its plane, the investigation went into uncharted territory. For the first time, India is decoding black box data at home. The Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) turned up on 13 June. The Flight Data Recorder (FDR) was found three days later, lodged on a rooftop near the crash site. Both were flown to Delhi by the Indian Air Force.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) retrieved the crash protection module (CPM) and got the data out on 25 June. To double-check the download, they used a “golden chassis” — an identical unit that holds the memory safely.
Global eyes are on this probe too. The team includes experts from the Indian Air Force, HAL, and the US National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), which has jurisdiction because Boeing built the plane. Aviation medicine and air traffic control specialists are also part of the team.
MPs didn’t stop at just one crash. They pointed to other recent incidents, and a pattern they fear is forming: overstretched staff, patchy checks, and a regulator that might be short on muscle. They want the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security to do a thorough audit, and they want more skilled hands at DGCA before the next emergency tests the system.
Air India’s message is simple. The Dreamliner is still one of the safest aircraft you can fly. The skies, they say, remain safe.
But trust, once shaken, is not so easily stitched back together.
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