Air India Flight Faces Mid-Air Turbulence

An Air India flight, AI 2455, en route from Thiruvananthapuram to Delhi, carrying Congress secretary KC Venugopal and several other Members of Parliament, encountered severe turbulence shortly after take-off. The flight, which was already delayed, faced unprecedented turbulence that led to an emergency diversion to Chennai. The Congress MP described the journey as “harrowing,” emphasizing the close call with tragedy.

Emergency Diversion to Chennai

Approximately an hour into the flight, the captain announced a flight signal fault, prompting a diversion to Chennai. The aircraft circled the airport for nearly two hours awaiting clearance to land. During the first landing attempt, a heart-stopping moment occurred when another aircraft was reportedly on the same runway. The captain’s quick decision to pull up saved all lives onboard, allowing for a safe landing on the second attempt.

Call for Investigation and Accountability

Mr. Venugopal highlighted that passenger safety should not rely on luck and urged the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) and the Ministry of Civil Aviation to investigate the incident. He called for accountability and measures to prevent such lapses in the future.

Air India’s Clarification

In response, Air India clarified that the diversion was precautionary due to a suspected technical issue and poor weather conditions. The Chennai ATC instructed a go-around during the first landing attempt, not due to another aircraft’s presence on the runway. Air India assured that their pilots are trained for such situations and followed standard procedures throughout.

Flight Details and Recent Concerns

According to Flightradar, the flight departed Thiruvananthapuram at 8:17 pm and landed in Chennai at 10:35 pm before continuing to Delhi at 1:40 am. Air India has been under scrutiny following recent incidents, including a deadly crash in June and reports of cockroaches found on another flight.