Air India Clarifies No Pressure on Victims' Families Regarding Compensation

Air India Issues Clarification on Compensation for AI-171 Incident

On Wednesday, Air India released a statement asserting that it did not exert any pressure on the families of victims from the AI-171 aircraft incident to accept the final compensation package before the official investigation report was available. This clarification followed allegations made by Radhika Mishra, daughter of former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani, who lost his life in the tragedy. She accused N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman of Tata Sons, of pressuring the victims' families to forfeit their right to sue the airline in exchange for receiving compensation.

Air India Denies Any Deadline or Pressure

In response to the accusations, the airline emphasized that there was no 'pressure or deadline' for any victim's family or individual to accept financial assistance within a specified timeframe. Expressing sorrow over the fatalities and the subsequent hardships, Air India addressed concerns regarding the investigation timeline, highlighting that families are 'free to wait' for the final report before making any decisions.

Investigation Conducted Independently by AAIB

The airline further clarified that the investigation is being conducted independently by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB), and thus, Air India does not have prior knowledge of when the investigation results will be made public. They noted that the final compensation process began in October 2025, after most interim payments had been completed and claim forms distributed. Air India stated that it is engaging openly with families who wish to proceed with the process. The airline reassured that families should not feel pressured to choose between receiving immediate financial assistance or waiting for the investigation report, and also mentioned the relief efforts being undertaken by its parent company.