Air India's Troubles Drive Passengers to Rival Airlines

Strategic Insights -

Frequent fliers who had previously opted for Air India, particularly for international travel, are now switching to other airlines due to recent accidents and flight disruptions, said tour operators. The latest incident unfolded when 228 passengers on a San Francisco-Mumbai flight were stranded for hours in Calcutta after a technical snag was detected in one engine of the Boeing 777-200 LR aircraft during a refuelling stop. The incident has left many passengers wary of booking with the national carrier.

Key Takeaways:

  • Several frequent fliers who previously chose Air India for international travel are now switching to other airlines due to recent accidents and flight disruptions.
  • The incident involving Air India's Dreamliner aircraft on the Ahmedabad-London route followed by a series of flight disruptions has left many passengers wary of booking with the national carrier.
  • Tour operators report that many travellers are avoiding Air India flights, and on several European and UK routes, Air India fares have dropped significantly compared to competitors in recent days.
  • Passengers alleged they were forced to remain seated in the aircraft for five hours before being allowed to disembark, with no proper communication from Air India throughout the ordeal.
  • Biplab Mitra, 73, plans to take a Gulf-based airline instead of Air India for his June 21 trip to London, and Lalit Tejwani, a City-based businessman, is considering routes via Dubai, Abu Dhabi or Qatar for his September trip to Europe.
  • Raktim Roy, managing director of Dolphin Travels, is reconsidering Air India tickets for a group of 18 Calcutta residents planning a July trip to Kenya.
  • The passenger experience on Tuesday's disrupted flight tells a sobering story, with S.R. Veeraraghavan reaching his Mumbai home in Sion around 2am on Wednesday after nearly 43 hours of travel.

Sources:

  • "Many travellers are avoiding Air India flights and wanting seats on other airlines, particularly for travel to Europe or the US," said Anil Punjabi, national committee member of the Travel Agents Federation of India's eastern region.
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Statistics:

  • 228 passengers on a San Francisco-Mumbai flight were stranded for hours in Calcutta after a technical snag was detected in one engine of the Boeing 777-200 LR aircraft during a refuelling stop.
  • 5 hours: the time passengers allegedly remained seated in the aircraft before being allowed to disembark.
  • 43 hours: the time S.R. Veeraraghavan, a frequent traveller, took to reach his Mumbai home from the stranded flight.
  • 10,000: the difference in fares between Air India and Gulf carriers previously.
  • 25,000: the difference in fares to sectors like London and Paris this week.
  • 90-100 minutes: the extra time flights take due to closure of Pakistan's airspace and tensions in West Asia.
  • 4-6 hours: the time pre-takeoff checks on Air India's Boeing 787 fleet take.