Minister of Civil Aviation Ram Mohan Naidu Kinjarapu held an extensive video conference with all Airport Directors nationwide, during which it was decided to establish regular reviews with airlines regarding operational issues.

The minister also directed all Airport Directors to assess ground-level readiness and passenger assistance systems in light of flight rescheduling happening due to various factors, including post-accident inspections, weather fluctuations, and airspace closures resulting from geopolitical tensions.

The Minister of Civil Aviation convened a high-level discussion with the Chairman and Managing Director of Air India. The talks concentrated on three key areas: ensuring operational continuity, fostering transparent and accountable communication with the public, and prioritizing passenger safety and convenience.

The meeting acknowledged that due to the changing circumstances in the Middle East, increased safety inspections, and a prohibition on night flying in Europe, Air India is encountering a decline in aircraft availability.

Passengers affected will be either rebooked or provided with full refunds. Air India was advised to enhance their ground-level coordination at airports, improve communication with travelers regarding cancellations or delays, and ensure that customer service representatives are trained and equipped to address heightened passenger concerns with understanding and clarity.

Additional meetings were conducted with the senior management teams of Spice Jet, Indigo, and Akasa on June 18 and 19. Naidu evaluated fleet performance and safety operations.

In the wake of the tragic Air India-171 crash that claimed at least 270 lives, investigators from around the globe are collaborating to determine what went wrong. As of now, there is no indication of where the fault resides, and it may take months before a conclusion is reached.

As this waiting period begins, the Tata Group, which owns the airline along with other noted brands such as Jaguar Land Rover and Tetley Tea, faces a series of unprecedented challenges at a pivotal moment in the airline's ambitious turnaround.

The narrative had just started to shift for Air India leading up to the disaster.

Under new private ownership—the Tatas purchased the airline from the government in 2022—Air India had been reporting operational profits, increased revenues, and a decrease in customer complaints.

Despite ongoing dissatisfaction regarding service levels, dysfunctional in-flight entertainment, and delays, there was a recognition that these were merely transitional issues as the airline worked through multiple complex mergers to enhance its operations.

After years of neglect during state ownership, the Tatas announced earlier this year that they had entered the "final climb phase" of the airline's transformation process to become a "world-class" carrier.

The recent devastating crash has now cast a pall over these aspirations.