Air India Retires Flight AI171 After Tragedy: Ahmedabad-London Route Renumbered

In a symbolic though discreet gesture, Air India has announced the retirement of flight numbers AI171 and AI172 on the London Gatwick–Ahmedabad sector. These will be substituted from 17 June 2025 by AI159 and AI160. While there is no official word that has been heard from airline officials with an attribution of the switch-over to last week’s tragedy, timing is louder than words.

It is usual for airlines across the world to withdraw flight numbers after a disastrous accident, in a gesture of respect, compassion, and healing. Numbers, by definition, are imbued with memory, and AI171 now carries the weight of national collective grief.

Though Air India has not publicly declared the motive behind renumbering, the move comes a few days after the June 12 crash of AI171, which killed over 274 people. According to aviation experts, it is a standard practice all over the world to withdraw flight numbers that have been part of fatal crashes as a sign of courtesy and to avoid causing pain to travellers, staff, and bereaved families.

Flight AI171, Boeing 787 Dreamliner scheduled from Ahmedabad’s Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport to London Gatwick, crashed just seconds after take-off. The aircraft crashed into Ahmedabad’s Meghani Nagar residential locality, an area of high residential density. A single individual survived the accident.

The flight was carrying 242 individuals, consisting of 169 Indian citizens, 53 British nationals, seven Portuguese nationals, one Canadian, and a few members of the crew. The accident also hit the BJ. Medical College, with some of the debris landing on campus, killing various MBBS students and a doctor’s relatives who were in campus.

There have been some government institutions that have initiated inquiries into why the aircraft had crashed. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) also investigated and came up with a directive on the safety of Dreamliner. The National Security Guard (NSG) has also taken out the black box and is continuing to investigate the site. The National Investigation Agency (NIA) also went to the location and eliminated all traces of sabotage or terrorism. The Gujarat ATS has taken CCTV video of the area, and forensic experts have collected samples for laboratory analysis.

Even though preliminary reports suggest a technical failure, the cause of the same is being kept in the consideration. FDR and CVR analysis will provide clear insights within the next few weeks.

Operations on the London–Ahmedabad route will proceed as normal, but with the flight numbers AI159 and AI160.