Following the tragic Air India crash in Ahmedabad that resulted in 260 deaths, the airline has seen a small uptick in sick leave requests from its pilots, the government informed Parliament. In a written response to a Lok Sabha question, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol confirmed the slight increase in such reports but denied any coordinated or mass sick reporting by crew members after the incident.

On June 16 alone, 112 Air India pilots, including 51 commanders and 61 first officers, called in sick. The data pertains to the days immediately following the June 12 disaster when a Boeing 787-8 aircraft, operating as AI-171 from Ahmedabad to London Gatwick, crashed into a residential area shortly after takeoff. The accident killed 241 passengers and 19 people on the ground, with just one passenger surviving.

In response to the emotional and psychological toll of the tragedy, India’s aviation regulator—the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA)—issued a circular calling for improved mental health support. Airlines were directed to introduce customised training for pilots and Air Traffic Controllers to help mitigate the impact of stress and mental health challenges in high-pressure situations.

The DGCA also advised aviation organisations, including scheduled and non-scheduled operators, flying training organisations (FTOs), and the Airports Authority of India (AAI), to implement a Peer Support Programme (PSP). These initiatives are intended to help employees recognise and cope with mental health struggles in a non-punitive environment.

In a separate written statement, the Civil Aviation Ministry clarified that it currently has no formal policy to compensate civilians for property damage or loss of life caused by plane crashes on the ground.