Flight redirected mid-air, causing a stir: 5 lawmakers accuse breach of parliamentary immunity
The Air India flight AI2455 from Thiruvananthapuram to Delhi on August 10, 2025, was diverted to Chennai due to suspected technical faults and adverse weather conditions. The flight carried several Members of Parliament, including Congress MP K C Venugopal.
The flight faced severe turbulence shortly after takeoff, and about an hour later, the captain detected a flight signal fault, prompting the diversion as a precautionary safety measure. Upon reaching Chennai airspace, the aircraft did not land but continued to circle for more than an hour, and the reason for this prolonged holding pattern was not clarified.
The incident has raised concerns about flight safety, which is a matter of deep public concern, according to the MPs. The MPs have requested that clear accountability be fixed, operational protocols for emergency diversions and runway safety be strengthened, and passengers be given truthful and timely communication in such situations.
Investigation details indicate that the technical issue involved a possible problem with the aircraft’s weather radar or flight signal system. The diversion was made to Chennai because weather conditions there were clearer compared to the originally scheduled destination and an alternate option like Bengaluru. The aborted first landing was due to Air Traffic Control (ATC) instructions after debris was reported on the Chennai runway and safety concerns about another aircraft's position.
Air India and the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) have not yet issued a detailed public report, but an internal review and investigation have been called for by political representatives and aviation authorities. The MPs are concerned about the opacity shown by Air India in the wake of the recent tragic air accident in Ahmedabad and multiple reported mid-air technical incidents.
Five MPs, including K C Venugopal, wrote to Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla on Tuesday over the incident. They have also written to the Civil Aviation Minister, urging for a comprehensive and time-bound investigation into the incident. The MPs have stated that the harrowing experience they faced on their flight from Trivandrum to Delhi (AI2455) should serve as yet another wake-up call for Air India, DGCA, and the Civil Aviation Ministry to address the glaring lapses that result in such grave incidents.
The MPs claim that this attempt to question their credibility and publicly misrepresent their statements amounts to a direct breach of privilege. They have tagged their letters to the Hon'ble Speaker, stating that Air India's response to their concerns was to label them as false. The MPs have requested that the matter regarding Air India flight AI 2455 be taken up as a breach of privilege.
The incident involving Air India flight AI2455, carrying several Members of Parliament, including K C Venugopal, has sparked concerns not only about flight safety, a general-news topic, but also the transparency and accountability in the airline industry, under the broader umbrella of politics. The MPs' requests for a comprehensive investigation into the flight's technical issues, emergency diversion procedures, and communication with passengers echo their broader concerns about aviation safety, particularly in light of recent general-news events such as the tragic accident in Ahmedabad and multiple mid-air incidents.
