Air India Retires Flight Number '171' Out of Respect After Ahmedabad
TDT | Manama
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In the wake of the devastating crash that claimed 241 lives, Air India and its low-cost arm, Air India Express, have decided to retire the flight number '171' as a mark of respect for those who lost their lives.
The ill-fated Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, operating as flight AI 171, was on its way from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick when it crashed shortly after take-off on Thursday.
According to sources, retiring a flight number after a fatal accident is a common practice in the aviation industry. It’s seen as a gesture of remembrance and a way to avoid causing distress to passengers and families in the future.
Starting June 17, the Ahmedabad–London Gatwick route will be reassigned a new number—AI 159—instead of AI 171. The necessary updates to the booking systems were completed on Friday, sources confirmed.
Air India Express, which also used the flight number IX 171 on a different route, has likewise decided to discontinue it.
“This small change is our way of honoring the lives lost and offering a measure of comfort to those grieving,” one airline source said.
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