Allegations Surface as Former Air India Crew Claim Dismissal Over Safety Reporting

Two ex-senior cabin crew members from Air India have accused the airline of terminating their employment after they reported a serious safety incident concerning a Boeing 787 aircraft. This claim comes more than a year prior to a devastating crash in Ahmedabad that resulted in the deaths of 241 passengers on June 12, 2025. In a letter to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, which was obtained by The Times of India, the crew members stated that on May 14, 2024, a malfunction involving the emergency slide deployment occurred with a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner at London Heathrow Airport. They charge that both Air India and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) minimized the severity of the situation.

The alleged incident took place after Flight AI129 from Mumbai had concluded its landing and passengers had left the aircraft. The crew asserts that the Door L4 was confirmed to be in manual mode, which should have prevented the emergency slide from deploying. However, the slide activated unexpectedly. Initial documentation of the mishap by the pilot and cabin-in-charge was reportedly pressured into being retracted, with the pilot later claiming he did not observe the door's opening. When the two crew members resisted altering their accounts, they were dismissed from the airline. They further claim that a thorough investigation was never conducted; instead, Air India and the DGCA only handled an informal review that overlooked vital evidence and significant witness testimonies.

In response to these allegations, Air India, now owned by Tata Group, has firmly denied the claims in a public statement, asserting that the employees were let go due to misconduct and spreading misinformation. The airline maintains that its internal data and independent evaluations confirmed the slide could only have deployed if the door was armed, contradicting the claims made by the crew members. Following the Ahmedabad crash, the CEO of Air India, Campbell Wilson, indicated that the aircraft in question had completed a major check in June 2023, with its engines serviced this year. Reports suggest that the aircraft was compliant with all safety regulations.

Amid public concern about the reliability of Air India's Boeing 787 operations, critics argue that the whistleblowers' assertions highlight significant issues regarding accountability and regulatory practices, along with the treatment of those who report safety hazards. The dismissed crew members, who collectively hold over 40 years of experience, have lodged a formal complaint with the Central Vigilance Commission, expressing that the tragedy in Ahmedabad might have been averted if their earlier warnings had been heeded. Calls are rising for an independent investigation into both the emergency slide issue and the broader implications of whistleblower suppression.