Aircraft unavailability, Iran airspace closure, and heightened safety protocols cited as reasons; affected passengers offered full refunds and rescheduling options.
Ahmedabad: June 17, 2025
An Air India flight AI-159 from Ahmedabad to London’s Gatwick Airport was cancelled on Tuesday due to aircraft unavailability caused by operational reasons, not technical reasons, according to the airline, and related to longer than normal turnaround times because of extended precautionary safety checks and existing airspace restrictions due to the continuing Iran-Israel conflict.
This particularly flight operated (now under a new code) had just resumed on Monday after the crash of AI-171 on June 12, which killed 270. The ill-fated flight’s route and schedule were revised post-crash, with AI-159 replacing the earlier designation.
Air India confirmed the return flight AI-160 from London completed as scheduled, despite the cancellation of the outbound service, and has now issued full refunds or free rescheduling to affected passengers to be as un-disruptive as possible.
The cancellation encapsulates the wider impact of the recent closure of Iranian airspace, which has diverted many routes from Europe. The mandatory inspections are occurring and are now stricter, as a result of the June 12 accident involving a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which prompted aviation authorities to mandate pre-departure safety checks on all Indian carriers.
Air India maintained its commitment to keeping passengers safe and showing love, and whilst it was unfortunate to cancel the flight, they wanted to make sure precautionary checks were first and foremost given the climate.
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