Air India responds to Vijay Rupani’s daughter: ‘No deadline or pressure to accept payout’

Air India has said families affected by the AI-171 crash are under no obligation to accept final compensation packages before the completion of the official investigation. The airline responded to concerns raised by Radhika Mishra, daughter of former Gujarat chief minister Vijay Rupani.

In a formal response accessed by India Today, the airline said there is “no deadline or pressure” on grieving families to accept compensation within a specified time frame and stressed that they are free to wait for the findings of the crash investigation before making any decision.

The response comes days after Mishra questioned why families were being asked to consider “full and final” settlement documents before the facts surrounding the accident had been fully established. She had urged Tata Sons and Air India to ensure that no family felt compelled to choose between immediate financial assistance and the pursuit of answers about the tragedy.

Addressing those concerns, Air India said: “There is absolutely no reason for families to feel pressured to choose between immediate financial support and awaiting the investigation report.”

The airline also noted that the investigation is being conducted independently by the Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) and said it has no prior knowledge of when the final report will be released.

According to Air India, the process for final compensation began in October 2025 after most interim payments had been completed and claim forms were distributed. Since then, the airline said it has remained engaged in discussions with families wishing to proceed with compensation claims.

The carrier also pointed to support being provided through the AI-171 Memorial and Welfare Trust, established by the Tata Group. It said the trust has already disbursed ex gratia assistance of Rs 1 crore to nearly all families who lost loved ones in the crash, independent of the formal compensation process.

Vijay Rupani was among the 260 people killed when Air India flight AI-171 crashed into a medical hostel complex in Ahmedabad’s Meghaninagar area shortly after take-off for London Gatwick on June 12, 2025.

Reuters has reported that the AAIB is preparing an interim report ahead of the accident’s first anniversary. The report is expected to be more detailed than the preliminary findings released last year and will examine possible primary causes and contributing factors.

The preliminary report had found that the Dreamliner’s engine fuel switches flipped almost simultaneously shortly after take-off, cutting fuel supply to the engines during the Ahmedabad-to-London flight.

Air India said families remain free to decide when and whether they wish to proceed with compensation discussions while the investigation continues.