From August 1 to September 30, Air India will suspend its Ahmedabad to London Gatwick flights and instead operate a direct service to London Heathrow three times a week. Currently, five weekly flights operate to Gatwick; this will be reduced to three on the new Heathrow route. Heathrow is located about 60 km from Gatwick.
According to a media report, the change comes as part of what Air India is calling a “Safety Pause,” following the tragic crash of flight AI171 on June 12. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad, killing 260 people—including 241 passengers and crew, and 19 people on the ground.
Since the incident, flights on the Ahmedabad–London route have faced frequent delays and cancellations. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) also initiated a thorough inspection of the airline’s fleet.
In its statement, Air India said it plans to resume full operations with increased frequency from October 1. The airline also cited restricted airspace over Pakistan and parts of the Middle East as factors impacting current flight schedules.