A passenger who flew from Delhi to Ahmedabad just hours before a deadly Air India crash has gone viral after sharing concerning footage from his flight aboard a similar Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.
Entrepreneur Akash Vatsa took to X (formerly Twitter) to post videos from his journey on flight AI423, which landed in Ahmedabad only a couple of hours before the ill-fated AI171 flight took off and later crashed near Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel International Airport. The tragic incident involved 242 people — 230 passengers and 12 crew members.
In his now-viral tweet, Vatsa wrote:
“I was on the same damn flight two hours before it took off from AMD. I flew in from DEL-AMD. I noticed several unusual things on the plane and made a video intending to tag @airindia. I want to share more details.”
The footage captured during his flight showed multiple technical issues. One clip revealed visibly uncomfortable passengers fanning themselves due to a lack of air conditioning. Vatsa is heard saying:
“We’re about to taxi, but the AC isn’t working. Look at everyone—completely drenched. Even the TV screens and lights aren’t working, as usual.”
He tagged Air India, DGCA India, and several news organizations in his post, offering the videos as possible insight into the plane’s condition. The post quickly gained traction, reaching over 4 million views in under two hours.
However, as speculation grew, many online users began questioning Vatsa’s claims — particularly whether he had been on the same aircraft that crashed. In response, Vatsa shared a screenshot of his ticket, confirming he flew on AI423, not the
doomed AI171 flight.
This clarification debunked the circulating rumors that he had been aboard the exact plane involved in the crash. The two flights were separate, though they landed and departed from the same airport on the same day.
The tragic crash of AI171 has prompted widespread concern about Air India’s safety standards and aircraft maintenance, with investigations now underway.
Watch the video below…