Air India Rebuts Congress MP’s Runway Scare Claim, BJP Seeks No-Fly Ban

A social media post by Congress MP KC Venugopal alleging a near-catastrophic runway incident at Chennai airport has sparked a fierce political controversy, with Air India refuting his claims and BJP leader Amit Malviya demanding the MP be placed on a no-fly list for potentially spreading “falsehoods” about aviation safety.

On Sunday night, Venugopal, the Alappuzha MP and Congress general secretary, posted on X about a “harrowing” experience aboard Air India flight AI 2455 from Thiruvananthapuram to Delhi. He claimed the flight, carrying multiple MPs and hundreds of passengers, faced severe turbulence post-takeoff, followed by a captain’s announcement of a signal fault, prompting a diversion to Chennai. “For nearly two hours, we circled the airport awaiting clearance to land, until a heart-stopping moment during our first attempt—another aircraft was reportedly on the same runway,” Venugopal wrote, praising the captain’s quick decision to abort the landing. He called for an urgent DGCA and Ministry of Civil Aviation investigation, stating, “Passenger safety cannot depend on luck.”

Air India countered Venugopal’s narrative, explaining the diversion was precautionary due to a suspected technical issue and poor weather. The airline denied any runway conflict, stating Chennai ATC ordered a go-around during the first landing attempt, not because of another aircraft. “Our pilots followed standard procedures, prioritizing safety,” Air India posted on X, expressing regret for any inconvenience.

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The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) backed Air India’s account, with a source telling NDTV the diversion stemmed from a weather radar malfunction. The aircraft circled Chennai to burn fuel for a safe landing weight, and ATC reported runway debris—not another aircraft—prompting the go-around. A transceiver was replaced post-landing, but no issues were found during inspection.

Venugopal rejected Air India’s response, telling ANI, “That is a lie. The captain announced another aircraft was on the runway.” He confirmed raising the issue with the DGCA and demanded a probe. Meanwhile, BJP’s Amit Malviya escalated the row, calling the contradiction “extremely serious.” He posted on X, “If Venugopal’s claim is false, he should face consequences, including a no-fly list ban for spreading falsehoods.” He added that if the allegation is true, Air India and Chennai ATC must be held accountable.

The controversy follows heightened public sensitivity to aviation safety after the June 2025 Air India AI-171 crash in Ahmedabad, which killed 260 people. Recent incidents, including a July 21 Mumbai runway scare, have amplified concerns. Social media reactions on X are divided, with #AirIndiaSafety trending as some users support Venugopal’s call for accountability while others, like @BharatVoice, accuse him of “exaggerating for political gain.”

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