Air India Flight ‘Frighteningly Close to Tragedy,’ Says Congress MP; Airline Cites Technical Glitch
An Air India flight from Thiruvananthapuram to Delhi made an emergency diversion to Chennai on Sunday evening due to a suspected technical issue, sparking a war of words after Congress MP KC Venugopal, who was on board, described the experience as “frighteningly close to tragedy.” The airline, however, has refuted parts of the senior leader’s dramatic account, stating its pilots followed standard procedures during the precautionary landing.
The incident involved flight AI 2455, which took off from Thiruvananthapuram shortly after 8 pm. According to Venugopal, the journey quickly became harrowing. “Shortly after take-off, we were hit by unprecedented turbulence. About an hour later, the Captain announced a flight signal fault and diverted to Chennai,” he detailed in a post on X.
The MP claimed the most alarming moment came during the first landing attempt. “For nearly two hours, we circled the airport awaiting clearance… until a heart-stopping moment during our first attempt – another aircraft was reportedly on the same runway,” he wrote. “In that split second, the Captain’s quick decision to pull up saved every life on board… We were saved by skill and luck.”
Air India swiftly responded to Venugopal’s post, offering a different perspective on the events. The airline clarified that the diversion was a precautionary measure due to a “suspected technical issue and poor weather conditions.”
Critically, it contested the reason for the aborted landing, stating, “A go-around was instructed by Chennai ATC during the first attempted landing at Chennai airport, not because of the presence of another aircraft on the runway.” The airline assured that its pilots are well-trained to handle such situations and regretted the inconvenience while emphasizing that safety is always its priority.
The flight, which was airborne for over two hours, landed safely in Chennai at approximately 10:35 pm. Air India confirmed the aircraft would undergo necessary checks and that alternative arrangements were being made for the passengers. The incident comes amid recent reports of other technical snags on the airline’s aircraft and a recent decision to increase the retirement age for its pilots to 65. Fellow Congress MP Manickam Tagore, also on the flight, echoed Venugopal’s alarm, posting, “Shocked & shaken… Passenger safety cannot rely on luck. We demand answers & action NOW.”
