Flight Chaos After Ahmedabad Plane Crash: Cancellations, Bomb Threats, Emergency Landings Disrupt Travel Across Airlines

From technical failures to security alerts, Indian aviation reels under turbulence after Air India tragedy

A week of unprecedented turbulence has gripped Indian aviation in the aftermath of the tragic Air India plane crash in Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025, which claimed 270 lives, including 29 people on the ground. The emotional and operational fallout of the crash has triggered widespread disruptions across multiple domestic and international carriers, with dozens of flights cancelled, diverted, or abruptly terminated due to technical snags, bomb threats, and security alerts.

Major Disruptions Across Airlines Post-Crash

• Air India’s Delhi-bound flight returns to Phuket (June 13)
  An Air India Airbus A320neo, flying from Phuket to Delhi, was forced to return mid-air due to a security alert, highlighting growing caution in Indian aviation post-crash.
• Lufthansa Hyderabad flight turns back to Frankfurt after bomb threat (June 16)
  Flight LH752, which took off from Frankfurt en route to Hyderabad, was recalled a few hours after takeoff following a bomb threat, triggering a full-scale emergency response.
• IndiGo Muscat-Delhi flight makes emergency landing in Nagpur (June 17)
  An IndiGo flight with 157 passengers, traveling from Muscat to Delhi via Kochi, landed in Nagpur under emergency conditions after a bomb threat was reported mid-air.
• Air India Express flight delayed over 18 hours (June 15)
  A Guwahati-Kolkata Air India Express flight faced repeated deboarding due to technical glitches, with passengers finally flown out the next afternoon.
• British Airways Dreamliner returns to London (June 15)
  A Chennai-bound British Airways Dreamliner had to reverse course and return to Heathrow due to a technical snag, mid-way through its journey.
• Smoke sparks panic during Saudia Haj flight landing (June 15)
  A Saudia Airlines aircraft carrying 242 Haj pilgrims from Jeddah caused alarm when smoke and sparks were seen from its wheels while landing in India.
• Air India Dreamliner Hong Kong-Delhi flight aborted mid-air (June 16)
  A Delhi-bound Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner had to return to Hong Kong just an hour after takeoff after the pilot reported a suspected technical fault.

Air India’s Massive Operational Strain

Since the Ahmedabad crash, Air India alone has cancelled over 83 flights, citing aircraft issues, DGCA inspections, and resource limitations. On June 17, the airline cancelled six flights, with key international and domestic routes affected:

• San Francisco–Kolkata–Mumbai route was terminated mid-route at Kolkata due to a Boeing 777 engine fault.
• Ahmedabad–London Gatwick flight was cancelled due to aircraft unavailability.
• Delhi–Paris service was scrapped after problems emerged during pre-flight checks.

Additional cancelled Air India flights in recent days include:

• Bengaluru–London
• London–Amritsar
• Delhi–Vienna
• Delhi–Dubai
• Mumbai–San Francisco

Rising Passenger Anxiety and Systemic Pressure

The post-crash period has exposed the fragile underbelly of Indian aviation, where technical readiness, crew availability, and emergency preparedness are being tested. Security threats—some hoaxes, others real—have spiked in number, leading to tightened inspections, increased delays, and passenger distress.

With DGCA inspections underway, and airlines coping with equipment shortages and heightened scrutiny, experts say the disruptions could continue over the coming weeks. Meanwhile, the tragedy has also reignited public debate on aviation safety protocols, the ageing fleet concerns, and stress on air traffic infrastructure in India’s rapidly expanding aviation sector.

What Passengers Should Do:

• Check flight status frequently before departure.
• Keep buffer time for connecting flights due to unpredictable delays.
• Demand official communication and insist on receipts/refunds in case of cancellation.
• Avoid panic—many airlines are implementing extra security measures post-crash.

As the investigation into the Ahmedabad crash continues, the aviation industry braces for more reforms, stricter norms, and possibly a new safety protocol overhaul in the months ahead.