On June 17, Air India’s AI2491 flight from Mumbai to Lucknow was cancelled, marking yet another disruption in the airline’s operations. The airline cited “operational reasons” and attributed the delay to the domino effect caused by earlier flight diversions due to heavy rainfall in Delhi.
According to Air India, several incoming flights were delayed, causing the assigned crew to exceed their flight duty time limits, as outlined in aviation regulations. Due to persistent weather-related delays, substitute crew couldn’t be deployed in time.
A spokesperson expressed regret for the inconvenience to passengers and noted that hotel stays, full refunds, and free rescheduling options were offered. Efforts are ongoing to arrange alternate flights for those affected.
Meanwhile, seven more international services were cancelled on Tuesday, bringing the total number of cancellations to over 80 since the tragic Ahmedabad crash. The accident has heightened scrutiny from aviation authorities, especially over Air India’s safety and maintenance protocols.
The DGCA (Directorate General of Civil Aviation) also cancelled six more Air India flights for inspections. A San Francisco–Kolkata–Mumbai flight had to terminate early due to an engine malfunction in a Boeing 777. Another flight from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick was dropped due to aircraft unavailability.
Following the deadly June 12 crash of AI171 — a Boeing 787 Dreamliner — that claimed over 270 lives, the DGCA has demanded crew training logs and met with Air India and Air India Express officials to ensure ongoing safety compliance.
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