Trouble in air: Aviation sector in fright mode

The sector saw deadliest plane crash, chaos in air over revised FDTL and financial loss due to rising dollar and war

- ARSHAD KHAN @New Delhi

FROM a fatal crash to flight cancellations like never before, India’s aviation sector had one stressful 2025. The two major events, coupled with soaring jet fuel prices, an unfavourable forex rate, and geopolitical tension, especially after the Indo-Pak clash, only added to the woes of airlines and, subsequently, passengers.

The Air India crash

In one of the most tragic accidents, an Air India Boeing 787 Dreamliner carrying 242 passengers and crew crashed on June 12. Flight number AI-171, bound for London, lost altitude moments after taking off from Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport in Ahmedabad. A total of 260 people, including 241 passengers and crew members died. Only one passenger survived.

What followed after the crash was inspection of the Boeing Dreamliner aircraft, compensation to the family members of the deceased and an investigation to determine the cause. However, even after six months, there has been no concrete answer to many questions. An interim report by India’s Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) was released in July, but critics and pilot bodies condemned it for unfairly focusing on the actions of the pilots and diverting attention away from a possible fault with the aircraft.