DGCA probes Air India altitude-loss incident that injured 17 on Phuket–Delhi flight
India’s aviation regulator has opened an investigation after Air India flight AI2379, an Airbus A320neo flying from Phuket to Delhi, suffered a sudden loss of cruise altitude. Thirteen passengers and four cabin crew were injured; the aircraft landed safely and flight recorders have been secured.
What happened
DGCA is investigating an Air India Phuket-Delhi flight’s sudden cruise-altitude loss that injured 13 passengers and four crew members. The aircraft landed
Key facts
- Flight AI2379
- Airbus A320neo (VT-EXO)
- 137 passengers
- 3 infants
- 8 crew members
- 2 pilots
- 6 cabin crew
- 13 passengers injured
- 4 cabin crew injured
- 17 total injured
- 5 passengers discharged
- 11:07 a.m.
Why this matters
Potential airline partners should monitor the investigation’s findings and any resulting safety or compliance requirements before advancing collaborations with Air India.
What to watch
- DGCA preliminary findings on whether the altitude loss followed turbulence, pilot inputs, automation behavior, or a technical malfunction.
- Whether the event is classified as serious incident or accident and whether an independent investigation body becomes involved.
- Any directive affecting Air India's A320neo fleet, crew rostering, maintenance program, training, or Phuket–Delhi operations.
- Evidence of comparable altitude-deviation, turbulence-injury, flight-control, or maintenance events involving Air India or the same aircraft configuration.
- Updates on the severity of passenger and crew injuries, compensation claims, or consumer-protection action.
- Air India's on-time performance, cancellations, aircraft substitutions, and booking trends following media coverage.
- Secure and analyze flight-data and cockpit-voice recorder information, maintenance logs, weather data, ATC records, dispatch materials, and crew statements.
- DGCA is likely to seek Air India's immediate account of the event, injury handling, cabin-safety procedures, and any prior related reports.
- Air India may conduct an internal safety review, inspect the aircraft, reinforce turbulence and cabin-securement procedures, and contact affected passengers regarding medical support and compensation.
- The airline may increase public safety communications to limit reputational damage, while avoiding conclusions before the regulator releases findings.
- Depending on preliminary findings, regulators may order focused audits or spot checks across Air India's A320neo operations.