Air India Faces Challenges Following Safety Concerns and Recent Incident

Air India, India's flagship airline, is under scrutiny as it grapples with its safety history and the implications of a recent crash that has reignited concerns over its operational standards.

Air India, established in 1932 and formerly owned by the Indian government, has been striving to enhance its safety protocols following a series of dangerous incidents leading up to 15 years ago. The most recent fatal accident predates Thursday's tragic event, which involved an Air India Express flight from Dubai that tragically overshot the runway in Kozhikode in August 2020, resulting in the loss of both pilots and 19 passengers.

In 2022, the airline was sold to Tata Group, India’s most respected conglomerate, after failing to find a buyer for many years under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's administration. Tata's chairman, N. Chandrasekaran, expressed condolences to the victims' families and indicated a commitment to improving the airline’s image amidst a growing aviation market.

Air India has since expanded its brand by incorporating smaller carriers while attempting to modernize its fleet and services. Nevertheless, the airline faces intense competition from IndiGo, which, along with Air India, now dominates about 91% of the domestic aviation market in India. However, Air India has struggled to secure adequate aircraft and recruit enough pilots, hampering its growth ambitions.

Amid news of the latest incident, stock prices for Tata companies like Tata Motors and Tata Consultancy Services fell by approximately 3%, as did shares for IndiGo, signaling investor concern surrounding the carrier's stability.

The airline has seen a gradual reduction in deadly incidents after an alarming decade of mishaps, highlighted by a catastrophic airplane crash in Mangalore in 2010 that claimed over 150 lives. Safety fears were exacerbated during this time due to multiple near misses at Mumbai airport and a series of troubling events including a plane flying without a pilot momentarily.

In response to the latest tragedy, Air India stated it would fully cooperate with investigating authorities, pledging to review its safety measures as it seeks to regain public trust and ensure secure travel for all passengers.