‘Close to Tragedy’: Congress MPs Flag Air India Flight Diversion; Airline Denies Runway Incident
An Air India flight from Thiruvananthapuram to Delhi was diverted to Chennai on Sunday evening after severe turbulence and a suspected technical issue, prompting safety concerns from passengers, including Congress MP KC Venugopal.
Flight AI 2455 took off shortly after 8 pm and landed in Chennai around 10:35 pm, according to Flightradar24 data. The number of passengers was not immediately disclosed.
Venugopal, who was on board along with several MPs, described the journey on X as “frighteningly close to tragedy.” He said the flight experienced “unprecedented turbulence” soon after take-off, followed by a “flight signal fault” that led the captain to divert to Chennai.
He alleged that during the first landing attempt, “another aircraft was reportedly on the same runway,” forcing the captain to abort and land successfully on a second attempt. “We were saved by skill and luck. Passenger safety cannot depend on luck,” he wrote.
Congress MP Manickam Tagore echoed similar concerns, calling the incident a “near disaster” and demanding an immediate inquiry.
Air India’s Response
In a reply to Venugopal’s post, Air India clarified that the diversion was “precautionary” due to suspected technical issues and poor weather. The airline stated that Chennai Air Traffic Control had instructed a “go-around” during the first landing attempt, but denied that another aircraft was on the runway.
“Our pilots followed standard procedures and landed safely on the second attempt. Safety is always our priority,” Air India said, expressing regret for the inconvenience.
In its official statement, the airline confirmed the diversion and said the aircraft would undergo necessary checks before passengers were flown onward to their destinations.
Political Reactions
The incident quickly escalated into a political flashpoint. BJP IT cell chief Amit Malviya said that if Venugopal’s claim of another aircraft on the runway was false, he should face consequences, including being put on a no-fly list for “spreading falsehoods.”
“Aviation safety is paramount. If true, Chennai ATC and Air India must answer; if not, the Congress MP must be held accountable,” Malviya said.
Recent Air India Developments
The episode comes amid a spate of recent technical snags on Air India flights. On August 8, PTI reported that the airline has decided to increase the retirement age for pilots to 65 years and for non-flying staff to 60 years, up from the current 58 years for both categories.
