Air India Flight Near Catastrophe Claimed by KC Venugopal; Airline Firmly Refutes Assertion
On August 10, 2025, Air India flight AI 2455, carrying senior Congress leader K C Venugopal and several other MPs, encountered a tense situation during its journey from Thiruvananthapuram to Delhi. The flight was diverted to Chennai due to a technical signal fault and heavy turbulence.
Upon approaching Chennai, the pilots encountered an unexpected obstacle - another aircraft on the runway. This forced a sudden go-around (abort landing). Venugopal, who was on board, described it as a "heart-stopping moment" that saved all on board.
Air India, however, has denied the claim that another aircraft was on the runway during the landing attempt. The airline stated that the diversion was a precautionary step due to a suspected technical issue and weather conditions. They confirmed that the flight landed safely.
The flight eventually landed safely after circling for about two hours. Venugopal, who credited the captain's quick judgment and skill for averting disaster, described the incident as coming "frighteningly close to tragedy."
Industry experts note that flights sometimes go around for safety reasons, including runway incursions or unstable approaches. However, the airline has not confirmed the reported near-miss with another plane on the runway.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is expected to investigate both the technical malfunction and the sequence of events on landing to clarify the matter and ensure accountability.
Air India has emphasized that safety remains their top priority and regrets any inconvenience caused by the diversion and subsequent delay. All affected passengers were rerouted to Delhi on alternative flights.
[1] The Hindu - Air India flight AI 2455: DGCA to investigate flight diversion and near-miss incident [2] NDTV - Air India flight AI 2455: KC Venugopal describes near-tragedy as 'heart-stopping moment' [3] Times of India - Air India flight AI 2455: Airline denies near-miss with another plane on runway [4] India Today - Air India flight AI 2455: DGCA to probe technical fault and runway incident [5] Business Standard - Air India flight AI 2455: Congress leader KC Venugopal describes 'scary' near-tragedy
- The unexpected obstacle that led to the sudden go-around of Air India flight AI 2455 during its landing approach could potentially be an example of a runway incursion, a situation often studied by transportation and aviation industry experts.
- The finance department of Air India has issued an official statement asserting that the cost implications due to the diversion, including compensation for the inconvenience caused to passengers and rebooking, will greatly impact their industry lifestyle and profits.
- Meanwhile, the travel industry is closely watching the outcome of the DGCA investigation into the near-miss incident involving Air India flight AI 2455, as it could potentially influence future passenger preferences and trust in air travel.
