[News] Air India flight AI171 Ahmedabad -> London Gatwick crashed

[Denis]

I’ve booked seat 9A on my upcoming flight on a TUI Dreamliner, the seat configuration seems to be different than seen above. I’ve flown the Dreamliner many times, it’s a great plane.

 

[Lady Whistledown]

Maybe he survived by being near an emergency exit door?

View attachment 204125

Bulkhead seat also might be a factor

 

[Algernon]

RIP to all those who lost their lives today. Horrific to witness and amazingly one survivor.
The most beautiful of the airliners too but it can be easily replaced.

 

[peterward]

This was on Facebook. This is so totally tragic a beautiful young professional family with big dreams of a new life in UK, full of life and happiness, unbeknown of the imminent tragedy ahead

 

[oldboyroy]

Flying back to Birmingham from alicante tomorrow. Makes you think a bit more about how things can go tragically wrong in the air. Rip to all who have lost their lives and condolences to everyone affected.

 

[Bry Nylon]

Flying back to Birmingham from alicante tomorrow. Makes you think a bit more about how things can go tragically wrong in the air. Rip to all who have lost their lives and condolences to everyone affected.

Events like this are of such magnitude and horror that they naturally seize the imagination in a way that is completely out of proportion to the likelihood or risk.

Every year over 1600 people die in RTCs on UK roads and a further 29,000 are seriously injured - but nobody ever gets in a car thinking they may not reach their destination. But the reality is (on average) 5 people died today, 5 people died the day before and a further 5 will get up tomorrow and not live to see Saturday.

I recognise that probably doesn’t provide much comfort but I really wouldn’t worry about the flight.

 

[Peacehaven Wild Kids]

I recognise that probably doesn’t provide much comfort but I really wouldn’t worry about the flight.

Well yes, and I love a holiday or a weekend away and have three return flights booked for this summer, however as a bit of an over thinker I prefer the driving aspect as a sense of being in control of my own destiny however I am acutely aware that at any moment some idiot can just go head on into me.

 

[Bry Nylon]

Well yes, and I love a holiday or a weekend away and have three return flights booked for this summer, however as a bit of an over thinker I prefer the driving aspect as a sense of being in control of my own destiny however I am acutely aware that at any moment some idiot can just go head on into me.

Yes. I fully get that. There is something about willingly strapping yourself into a tube laden with tonnes of aviation fuel that someone you’ve never met is going to fly at 30,00 feet that requires a degree of mental disengagement. When you think about the complexity of it, the safety of air travel is remarkable.

 

[nickjhs]

I used to be fine with flying until I was on a plane that nosedived coming into Greece back in the 80's. Absolutely terrifying. The strange thing was that there was hardly a sound from the people on board. Those poor people onboard, not to mention those on the ground who would have seen the plane heading at them. Chances are, the survivor is going to have a heck of a time with guilt.

It always makes me wonder what it is about humans, we have an international out pouring of grief when something like this happens but we, (not all of us) march glibly (some enthusiastically) into war.

 

[Peacehaven Wild Kids]

When you think about the complexity of it, the safety of air travel is remarkable.

This…..X1000

 

[Easy 10]

I'm not an overly frequent flyer, just on holidays now and then maybe once or twice a year. I used to allow anxious thoughts into my head about what could go wrong, but my abiding source of mental comfort was always the cabin crew. Not that they came over and reassured me in a literal sense, I was never flipping out or anything. But just the knowledge that "this is their job - they've been doing it day-in, day-out for bloody years". Its just routine.

I always found that oddly reassuring, and still do.

 

[Guinness Boy]

Just landed at Gatwick. Normally I’m good with flying but can’t say I enjoyed either take off (I changed planes).

Lots of reporters outside North terminal doing pieces to camera.

 

[WATFORD zero]

At airport, taking off in 2 hrs

 

[peterward]

At airport, taking off in 2 hrs

Have a good time

You've got more chance of your crusading overturning brexit than something happening to your flight!

 

[Triggaaar]

Well yes, and I love a holiday or a weekend away and have three return flights booked for this summer

f*** you Greta!

 

[Triggaaar]

There is something about willingly strapping yourself into a tube laden with tonnes of aviation fuel that someone you’ve never met is going to fly at 30,00 feet

Air crash investigators, I think I may have found something.

 

[Flounce]

Friday 13th today too!

 

[Audax]

Just saw them interviewing his cousin in Leicester. Thought the BBC reporter was completely out of order the way he kept repeatedly 'what do you think about him being the only survivor?' when they know they're waiting to hear about his brother.

Yep, agree with that.

On the flipside, though, on BBC Newsnight they had a really good piece discussing everything known at the time with an experienced air accident investigator. He really didn't want to commit to anything, but had some good insights addressing some of the speculation that'd been floating around; eg the wheels still being down could indicate a catastrophic hydraulics failure.

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

Re cause: maybe. BBC reporting the pilots issued a Mayday call. Doesn’t preclude your sources’ conjecture, of course, but you’d hope that pilots would know enough to check the obvious causes before issuing a Mayday.

Dreadful scenes.

In times of issue pilots follow in order:
1. Aviate - try to fly
2. Navigate - try to fly to where you need to get to (emergency landing maybe)
3. Communicate - mayday call if appropriate

 

[Albion my Albion]

Friday 13th today too!

June 13 may be an unlucky date this year as it falls on a Friday, making it the first and only Friday the 13th of 2025. The unlucky date has long been a staple of pop culture, most notably being the title of the long-running film franchise.