NDTV Exclusive: Vir Das On His "Respect And Restraint" For Air India Over Ahmedabad Crash Tragedy

Vir Das, a frequent Air India flyer, has thrown both brickbats and bouquets at the airline over the years

03 Jul 2025, 03:42 · NDTV

The Air India crash in Ahmedabad last month was one of the worst aviation disasters the country has seen. Only one person survived out of the 242 people, including 10 crew members and two pilots, on board the Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, which crashed moments after take-off to London from Ahmedabad on June 12, 2025.

Amid the tragedy of this scale, the airline was subjected to a lot of criticism on social media and elsewhere.

Stand-up comic and actor Vir Das, a frequent Air India flyer, has thrown both brickbats and bouquets at the airline over the years.

In April, the International Emmy winner called out Air India, claiming that his wife, who had a fractured foot, wasn't provided a wheelchair by the airline even after pre-booking the service. Hours after the June 12 crash, Vir Das was also one of the first celebrities to offer his support to Air India.

Asked how he balances his opinion when it comes to an airline like Air India, Vir Das told NDTV, "I'll answer, with respect and with restraint for a tragedy. My respect is for the tragedy and my restraint and my friendship is for a crew that has taken care of me for years who have also lost, who I think are the kindest and most compassionate crew in the sky."

The comic's comments came after pilots from the airline recently re-enacted the doomed aircraft's parameters in a flight simulator, including with the landing gear deployed and the wing flaps retracted, and found those settings alone didn't cause a crash, according to people familiar with the investigation.

According to reports, the preliminary probe report on the Air India crash is expected to be released by July 11. The document, which is likely to be four-five pages long, will be crucial because it will provide initial insights into the crash, including the possible causes.

Also Read | Exclusive | Actor-Pilot Gul Panag: "My Gut Says Air India Crash Will Be Blamed On Pilot Error, But..."

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