Ahmedabad crash: Air India begins compensation process
AI-171 Memorial Trust grants Rs 1 crore ex gratia to families of crash victims.
Air India Steps Up: Final Payouts Bring Closure—or a Tough Choice?—to AI171 Crash Families
Picture this: It’s June 12, 2025, a sweltering afternoon in Ahmedabad. Air India Flight AI171, a gleaming Boeing 787-8 bound for London Gatwick, roars down the runway with 241 passengers and 19 crew—260 souls dreaming of holidays, jobs, reunions. Mere moments after takeoff, disaster strikes. The plane plummets, erupting in a fireball. India reels from one of its deadliest aviation tragedies, claiming every life on board. Families shatter, communities mourn, and questions swirl: What went wrong? Who’s accountable?
Fast-forward to February 12, 2026. Tata Group-owned Air India, under intense scrutiny, is rolling out final compensation to the grieving kin. It’s not just money—it’s a deal with the devil for some: Sign here, get paid, but swear off future claims against the airline, Boeing, airports, or government agencies. Heart-wrenching? Absolutely. But Air India calls it “fair, transparent, and lawful,” aiming for closure after months of pain.
Sources reveal the breakdown: Families already got Rs 25 lakh interim relief. Now, an extra Rs 10 lakh sweetens the pot alongside tailored final amounts, varying by “individual circumstances” like age, income, dependents—calculated per legal norms like the Montreal Convention. On top, the AI-171 Memorial and Welfare Trust, Tata’s heartfelt initiative, dishes out Rs 1 crore ex-gratia per family. Generous? Sure. But that indemnity form? It’s the clincher. “No future claims against Air India or anyone else,” the airline stresses, to slam the door on endless litigation.
In a Thursday statement, Air India emphasized transparency: “Following initial interim payments of Rs 25 lakh… and with the process of ex-gratia payment of Rs 1 crore from The AI-171 Memorial and Welfare Trust being underway, Air India has initiated the final compensation process.” They frame it as industry standard—a “full and final” settlement for emotional and financial healing. Yet, for families still raw from loss, it’s a gut punch. Sign away your right to justice? Some have already sued, dragging Air India to courts.
The crash’s shadow lingers. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) probes on, with its preliminary report from July 12, 2025, dropping a chilling detail: Fuel to both engines cut off—just one second apart—right after takeoff. Cockpit voice recorder captures panic: One pilot snaps, “Why did you cut off?” The other: “I did not do so.” Confusion, catastrophe. Was it mechanical failure, pilot error, or foul play? The full report nears, as the Supreme Court nudged the Centre on February 11 for a “procedural protocol” update.
This isn’t Air India’s first rodeo post-tragedy. Tata, since snapping up the airline in 2022, pledged empathy—counseling, jobs for kin, memorials. The Trust embodies that: Rs 1 crore isn’t pocket change; it’s life-changing for many middle-class families from Gujarat, Kerala, the UK. But whispers of discontent bubble up. Why the no-claims clause so early? Aviation experts nod: It’s standard to cap liability, avoiding bankruptcies like after MH370 or Germanwings. Still, for a mother who lost her only son, or a spouse rebuilding alone, it’s cold comfort.
Zoom out: India’s skies have toughened since. DGCA audits ramped up, Boeing scrutiny intensified amid global 787 glitches. AI171 exposed vulnerabilities—fuel systems, training, maintenance. Families aren’t just claimants; they’re catalysts for change. Some, like those filing suits, fight for transparency, demanding black box data, maintenance logs. Others, weary, may sign for stability—fund kids’ education, buy a home, move on.
Tata’s gesture shines amid grief. Chairman N. Chandrasekaran visited Ahmedabad days after, promising support. “We’re family,” he said. Now, as final offers land, will kin embrace closure? Details on acceptances are scarce, but the process hums.
For the 260 gone—doctors, students, elders—this payout honors their memory imperfectly. Aviation demands perfection; one slip, lives vanish. As probes wrap, may truth emerge, preventing repeats. To families: Your pain echoes nationwide. Sign or sue, you’re not alone. India’s aviation rebuilds stronger, vowing no more AI171s.
In Ahmedabad’s smoggy sunsets, ghosts of Flight 171 remind us: Safety first, always. Tata-Air India, prove it with actions beyond cheques.