India's civil aviation ministry summoned Air India CEO Campbell Wilson on Tuesday over a flight from Phuket to Delhi that lost altitude [1, 2].
The summons follows a safety incident that resulted in multiple passenger injuries, signaling increased government scrutiny of the airline's operational safety standards.
The incident occurred on Aug. 4, 2026, involving flight AI2379 [3, 4]. The aircraft was traveling from Phuket, Thailand, to Delhi, India, when it experienced a sudden loss of about 300 feet of altitude while cruising over Indian airspace [1, 2, 5].
There were 137 passengers on board the aircraft [4]. The altitude drop caused injuries to 17 passengers [3].
Ministry officials have called the outgoing CEO to address these safety concerns and provide details on the incident [1, 2]. The probe focuses on the causes of the altitude loss and whether safety protocols were followed during the flight [1, 2].
Air India has not released a detailed public statement regarding the specific cause of the turbulence or the altitude drop. The ministry's investigation aims to determine if the event was caused by weather conditions or mechanical failure [1, 2].
“The aircraft was traveling from Phuket, Thailand, to Delhi, India, when it experienced a sudden loss of about 300 feet of altitude”
This summons indicates that the Indian government is taking a hard line on aviation safety following a series of operational lapses. By calling the CEO directly, the ministry is bypassing middle management to ensure accountability at the highest level of the airline's leadership during a transition period.
