Air India retires flight number '171' post-crash

India Jun 14, 2025

After a devastating crash near Ahmedabad that claimed 241 lives, Air India and Air India Express are retiring the flight number "171." The London-bound Dreamliner went down shortly after takeoff, and starting June 17, the route will use the new number "AI 159" as a mark of respect for those lost.

New number 'AI 159' from June 17

Air India's reservation system has already switched to the new flight number. This gesture follows a similar move in 2020 when Air India Express retired another flight number after a fatal accident. Retiring numbers like this is a way airlines show respect and remembrance for victims and their families.