Air India Faces Critical Safety Challenges Amid Recent Incidents

Air India's ongoing struggle to improve safety and operational efficiency becomes more pronounced following recent tragic events.

In a troubling resurgence of safety concerns, Air India, the nation's leading airline, has grappled with improving its safety record after a spate of hazardous incidents over the last fifteen years. Following a heartbreaking crash that has reignited scrutiny, the airline is under pressure to enhance its operational protocols. The last fatal accident before this week's tragedy occurred in August 2020, when an Air India Express flight from Dubai overshot the runway in Kozhikode, claiming the lives of both pilots and 19 passengers.

The carrier, which was launched in 1932, was under government ownership from 1953 until its acquisition by the Tata Group in 2022, after extensive efforts to privatize. Tata Group, one of India’s foremost business conglomerates and the airline's original proprietor, has sought to rejuvenate Air India amidst the highly competitive landscape of India’s aviation sector. N. Chandrasekaran, Tata's chairman, expressed condolences to the victims' families, underscoring the gravity of this event.

While Tata Group has made strides to consolidate its aviation holdings under the Air India brand—including absorbing smaller airlines—challenges persist in terms of fleet expansion and workforce requirements. Along with IndiGo, Air India now dominates the domestic market, carrying 91 percent of Indian air passengers, but it struggles to secure sufficient aircraft and qualified pilots to meet growth objectives.

Following the recent crash, Tata companies experienced a dip in stock value, with shares of Air India's parent company classified as private. The airline's tribulations also impacted competitors like IndiGo, whose stock also saw a decline.

Prior to the Kozhikode incident in 2020, Air India had not reported a deadly accident in a decade. However, safety skepticism still haunts the airline, stemming from past events that raised national concern, such as the 2010 disaster in Mangalore that resulted in over 150 fatalities, as well as discriminatory operational incidents in 2009.

In response to this latest tragedy, Air India has announced its full cooperation with ongoing investigations, highlighting the pressing need for structural reforms within the airline. As Air India navigates this critical juncture, the legacy of its past continues to inform its future in the complex arena of Indian aviation.