Air India Crash: Former Aviation Minister Praful Patel Slams Singapore Airlines For Silence

Former Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel lashed out at Singapore Airlines on Tuesday for a 'deafening silence' six days after the Air India flight AI171 crash.

Patel questioned why a major shareholder and maintenance partner had not publicly responded following the June 12 crash of the Ahmedabad-London Boeing 787 flight, in which 241 passengers and crew on board and at least 33 people on the ground were killed in one of India's deadliest plane crash in decades.

Following Patel's remarks, Singapore Airlines issued a statement stating that it had been in close contact with Air India and Tata Sons and continued to offer full support and assistance to them during this difficult time. "The Singapore Airlines Group extends our deepest condolences to the families and loved ones of everyone affected by the devastating Air India flight AI171 accident."

Singapore Airlines has held a 25.1% stake in Air India through a joint venture with Tata since its privatisation in 2022. The two airlines also collaborate extensively in areas like commercial, engineering and operations. Singapore Airlines CEO Goh Choon Phong sits on Air India’s board, while its former executives are involved in Air India’s turnaround plans.

"In all the sorrow and din surrounding the Air India crash, there remains a surprising silence — or perhaps ignorance — about the role of a substantial shareholder and the entity responsible for maintaining a large number, if not all, of Air India’s wide-body aircraft," Patel wrote in a post on X.

Patel pointed out that Singapore Airlines has a say in the management of Air India and noted that Campbell Wilson, chief executive officer of Air India, is a nominee of SIA and earlier headed its low-cost arm Scoot. “Let’s not forget — they have a say in management and a codeshare agreement with Air India,” he said, concluding with the question, “Why this deafening silence, SQ?”

SQ is the International Air Transport Association code for Singapore Airlines.

Patel, senior leader of the Nationalist Congress Party, served as India's Civil Aviation Minister from May 2004 to January 2011.