Raveena Tandon flies Air India to support crew after deadly AI171 crash

Bollywood actress Raveena Tandon flew with Air India just days after the airline’s London-bound AI171 flight crashed in Ahmedabad, claiming 270 lives. Her flight experience, shared through heartfelt Instagram posts, offered a glimpse into the quiet grief and emotional strength of passengers and crew still processing the tragedy.

‘A solemn journey’: Raveena shares moving message from flight

On Monday, Tandon boarded an Air India flight and shared images of herself on board, along with a message that reflected the sombre atmosphere. “The crew’s welcoming smiles were tinged with sadness,” she wrote. “Silent passengers and crew bonding with unspoken condolences and subtle confidence. Condolences to the families who lost their loved ones. A wound that will never heal.”

Her words came days after the 12 June crash of AI171, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner, which plunged into the B.J. Medical College hostel just minutes after taking off from Ahmedabad airport. The devastating accident killed 241 people on board and 29 others on the ground. Only one person, Vishwaskumar Ramesh, seated in 11A, survived with minor injuries. Among the victims was former Gujarat Chief Minister Vijay Rupani.

Tandon added, “New beginnings… to rise and fly again against all odds… a will to overcome and be strong again. Jai Hind.”

Support for crew grows as investigation continues

Tandon isn’t the only public figure to express support for Air India. Comedian Vir Das also took to social media days earlier, calling the airline’s crew “the best in the sky,” acknowledging the immense emotional toll on them. “I cannot imagine how hard it is for them to do their job right now, having lost their own,” he wrote on X.

Veteran actress Zeenat Aman, too, spoke about her emotional experience on an Air India flight following the crash. “I found myself overwhelmed with emotion as I buckled my seatbelt,” she shared, echoing the collective grief felt by many.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation has recovered the flight’s black boxes and is investigating. Air India and the Tata Group have announced compensation packages of £95,000 (₹1 crore) for families of the deceased and £23,750 (₹25 lakh) as interim relief.