Can Air India Be Saved?
Tata is pouring billions into the airline. But a deadly crash — and years of passenger complaints — continue to cloud its comeback.
Gaurav and Kalyani Brahmbhatt boarded their London-bound flight from Ahmedabad on June 12, excited to attend a program at Aston University in Birmingham, where Gaurav was an alum. Hardik Avaiya, 27, and Vibhooti Patel, 28, were returning to London to celebrate their recent engagement. Sahil Salim Ibrahim Patel, who was taking his first international flight, was looking forward to studying in the U.K. after winning a dream scholarship.
They — and countless others — would never get the chance. Around 1:39 p.m. local time, less than a minute after takeoff, their plane crashed into a medical hostel, killing all but one passenger and several dozen people on the ground. “Their journey turned out to be our worst nightmare,” a family member of the Brahmbhatts told The Juggernaut. “What is left behind is their 12-year-old daughter and 16-year-old son. And all the memories and laughter we shared.”
As news of the tragedy flooded our screens, Air India flyers told The Juggernaut that they felt devastation, frustration, and fear. But they weren’t surprised. For several years, complaints about India’s customer service, plane quality, and operations have circulated. But it wasn’t always this way.