AI171 Anniversary: Air India Says 96% of Families Paid Interim Compensation

A year has passed since the Air India Ahmedabad crash, which occurred on June 12 last year, though the final probe into the accident is still pending. Air India staff observed a two-minute silence at their workstations on Friday, June 12, 2026, to mark the anniversary of the crash.

A Boeing 787 Dreamliner operating as AI171 from Ahmedabad to London had crashed seconds after take-off last year, killing 260 people. Only one of the 242 people onboard survived the crash, and 19 others on the ground also lost their lives.

Compensation to Affected Families

Air India said it has provided an interim payment of ₹25 lakh (21,000 GBP) each to the families of the deceased to help address immediate financial needs. Interim compensation has been paid to families of 96% of the deceased, with the remaining cases primarily involving incomplete documentation or ongoing family disputes.

The airline said 94% of those injured on the ground have either received one-time full and final compensation or interim compensation, based on the nature of injury and any loss of livelihood. Air India added that families have no deadline to accept the compensation offer.

Tata Sons set up the AI171 Memorial and Welfare Trust to support those affected by the accident. Tata Sons chairman N Chandrasekaran had announced an ex-gratia payment of ₹1 crore for families of all deceased victims as part of the group's philanthropic commitments. This amount has been disbursed to 91% of the families, with remaining cases involving incomplete documentation or families declining the payment.

Over 22,000 personal belongings were preserved and catalogued with the help of an external partner, and families were informed about these items through email and a dedicated website.

Of the belongings linked to 187 deceased individuals, items have been returned for 139 deceased in India and the UK. Of the unassociated belongings linked to 77 deceased, items have been returned to families of 60 deceased. Families of 15 deceased declined to take the belongings. Of the 25 digital devices recovered, 16 have been returned to families after mandatory screening by Indian authorities.

A team of over 500 volunteers from 17 Tata Group companies, including 130 from Air India, provided on-ground support at the crash site. Each family was assigned a dedicated caregiver for 24/7 support, including assistance with the DNA identification process. A helpdesk was set up in Ahmedabad on June 15 and operated for over two months. CEOs of Tata companies have met 152 of the 165 affected families in India and the UK.