New Delhi, June 19 (UNI) In the wake of the recent mishap involving an Air India flight near Ahmedabad, Civil Aviation Minister Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu on Thursday convened a detailed video conference with Airport Directors from across the country to assess ground-level preparedness and enhance support mechanisms for passengers.

The review meeting focused on ensuring better coordination and communication amid flight rescheduling, which is currently being affected due to multiple reasons, including post-accident safety checks, adverse weather conditions, and the temporary closure of certain airspaces due to geopolitical tensions, an official statement said.

Moreover, the Minister also held a high-level meeting with the Chairman & Managing Director of Air India. The discussions focused on maintaining operational continuity, supporting transparent and accountable communication with the public and passengers’ safety and convenience.

During the meeting it was noted that due to the evolving situation in the Middle East, enhanced safety checks, and a ban on night flying in Europe, Air India is facing reduced aircraft availability.
As a result, they will temporarily scale down operations, restructure flights, and announce changes through the media. Affected passengers will be rebooked or offered full refunds.

Air India was urged to strengthen their ground-level coordination at airports, improve communication with passengers regarding cancellations or delays, and ensure that customer service teams are sensitized and equipped to handle increased passenger concerns with empathy and clarity.

The Minister also reviewed the fleet performance, safety oversight, passengers experience and convenience and the airline communication strategy. Meetings were also held with the senior managements of Spice Jet, Indigo and Akasa on Wednesday and Thursday.

It was also decided that the practice of periodical review with the airlines on operational matters will be institutionalised for better monitoring and coordination.

Meanwhile, the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) has commenced a formal inquiry into the Air India flight crash near Ahmedabad on June 12. UNI RBE SSP