Ahmedabad : Four senior executives of Air India SATS Airport Services Private Limited (AISATS), a ground-handling joint venture affiliated with Air India have been fired after a video of an office celebration surfaced online. The controversy deepened due to the timing of the event, which reportedly took place at AISATS’ Gurugram office just days after the tragic crash of Air India flight AI 171 in Ahmedabad.
The incident claimed 260 lives, making it one of the deadliest aviation disasters in India’s recent history. Public sentiment turned sharply against the company, prompting swift disciplinary action. The company confirmed the dismissal of the four senior officials involved in the party and added that several others have received formal warnings. AISATS is a 50-50 joint venture between Air India Ltd, now under the Tata Group, and SATS Ltd, a leading Singapore-based provider of airport gateway and food services.
It has only been a few days since the tragic Ahmedabad plane crash.
— Squint Neon (@TheSquind) June 22, 2025
Many families have not yet been able to see their loved ones for the last time; several bodies have still not been handed over.
Grief hangs heavy in households, funeral pyres are yet to cool. And at such a… pic.twitter.com/rrlekBNAeD
In a statement released on Friday, AISATS said, At AISATS, we stand in solidarity with the families affected by the tragic loss of AI 171 and deeply regret the lapse in judgment reflected in a recent internal video. The behaviour does not align with our values, and firm disciplinary action has been taken against those responsible as we reaffirm our commitment to empathy, professionalism, and accountability.
On June 12, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner operating as Air India flight AI171 crashed seconds after taking off from Ahmedabad. Bound for London Gatwick, the aircraft lost altitude and slammed into the residential quarters of BJ Medical College in Meghani Nagar, near the airport’s boundary. The crash killed 260 people, 241 passengers and crew onboard, along with 19 on the ground. Only one person survived: an Indian-origin British national who was seated in 11A.
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) is leading the inquiry. Both the Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) and Flight Data Recorder (FDR) have been recovered, the CVR on June 13 from a rooftop and the FDR from debris on June 16. They have been sent to Delhi for analysis. According to Gujarat health officials, DNA and facial recognition have been used to identify nearly all the victims. Only one remains to be conclusively identified.
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