Aeroplanes are equipped with a wide range of facilities to ensure passenger comfort, safety, and convenience during travel. The type and quality of these facilities may vary depending on the airline, aircraft type, and class of travel (Economy, Business, or First Class).

Keywords: Air India Flight 855, Air India Express Flight 812, Air India Flight 182, Charkhi Dadri Mid-Air Collision, Indian Airlines Flight 113, Air India Flight 403 (1982), Alliance Air Flight 7412, Indian Airlines Flight 257, Air India Express Flight 1344, Indian Airlines Flight 491, Boeing 747, Boeing 737, Boeing 707,

1. Seating and Comfort:
Modern aircraft provide ergonomic seats, with adjustable headrests and armrests. In premium classes, seats may recline fully into beds. Extra legroom and seat width are available in Business and First Class.

2. In-Flight Entertainment:
Most commercial aircraft offer personal screens with movies, music, games, and flight maps. Some flights also provide live TV and internet (Wi-Fi), allowing passengers to stay connected during the journey.

3. Food and Beverages:
Airlines serve meals, snacks, and drinks during flights. Options may include vegetarian, vegan, or special dietary meals. In Business and First Class, gourmet meals and a variety of beverages, including wine, are provided.

4. Safety and Emergency Facilities:
Every aeroplane is equipped with life jackets, oxygen masks, fire extinguishers, emergency exits, and evacuation slides. Safety instructions are provided before takeoff.

5. Lavatories:
All commercial flights have clean and accessible restrooms for passenger use. Some long-haul aircraft have baby-changing tables and larger lavatories in premium cabins.

6. Storage and Baggage:
Overhead compartments and under-seat space are available for cabin baggage. Check-in luggage is stored in the cargo hold.

7. Cabin Crew Assistance:
Trained flight attendants assist passengers throughout the flight, ensuring safety and comfort.

8. Special Assistance:
Facilities are available for the elderly, disabled, pregnant women, and unaccompanied minors. Wheelchair services and priority boarding can be requested.

These facilities make air travel efficient and comfortable, even on long international routes. Continuous advancements in aviation technology aim to further improve passenger experience.

Despite being high safety parameters, unluckily the plane undergoes unexpected casuality which sometimes leads to life loss. So today we will discuss top 10 aeroplane casualties occured in India.

Here are 10 of the biggest plane crashes in India, based on loss of life and severity:

1. Air India Flight 855 (1978)

Date: 1 January 1978
Location: Arabian Sea, off Mumbai coast
Aircraft: Boeing 747-237B
Casualties: 213 dead (All on board)
Cause: Instrument failure and pilot disorientation
Details: The plane crashed into the sea shortly after takeoff from Mumbai due to the captain misreading faulty instrument data.

2. Air India Express Flight 812 (2010)

Date: 22 May 2010
Location: Mangalore International Airport
Aircraft: Boeing 737-800
Casualties: 158 dead, 8 survived
Cause: Pilot error – overshot runway during landing
Details: Aircraft skidded off the table-top runway and crashed into a gorge. It was returning from Dubai.

3. Air India Flight 182 (1985)

Date: 23 June 1985
Location: Atlantic Ocean, near Ireland
Aircraft: Boeing 747-237B
Casualties: 329 dead (including 268 Canadian citizens of Indian origin)
Cause: Terrorist bombing (Sikh extremist group)
Note: Though it crashed outside India, it was an Indian airline, making it the worst aviation disaster involving India.

4. Charkhi Dadri Mid-Air Collision (1996)

Date: 12 November 1996
Location: Near Charkhi Dadri, Haryana
Aircraft: Saudi Arabian Airlines Boeing 747 & Kazakhstan Airlines Ilyushin Il-76
Casualties: 349 dead (All on board both planes)
Cause: Miscommunication, pilot error, and lack of radar
Details: Worst mid-air collision in aviation history. Happened due to incorrect altitude maintenance by one aircraft.

5. Indian Airlines Flight 113 (1988)

Date: 19 October 1988
Location: Ahmedabad
Aircraft: Boeing 737-2A8
Casualties: 133 dead, 2 survived
Cause: Controlled flight into terrain due to pilot error
Details: Crashed while attempting to land in poor visibility without following proper instrument procedures.

6. Air India Flight 403 (1982)

Date: 21 June 1982
Location: Mumbai (then Bombay) Airport
Aircraft: Boeing 707
Casualties: 17 dead (2 crew + 15 passengers)
Cause: Landing in heavy rain and wind shear; runway overshoot and fire
Details: Aircraft caught fire after skidding due to poor visibility and weather conditions.

7. Alliance Air Flight 7412 (2000)

Date: 17 July 2000
Location: Patna, Bihar
Aircraft: Boeing 737-2A8
Casualties: 60 dead (onboard and on the ground)
Cause: Engine failure and stall during landing
Details: Plane crashed into a residential area while attempting emergency landing after engine problems.

8. Indian Airlines Flight 257 (1991)

Date: 16 August 1991
Location: Near Imphal, Manipur
Aircraft: Boeing 737
Casualties: 69 dead (all onboard)
Cause: Pilot navigational error in poor weather
Details: Aircraft crashed into a hill during descent in mountainous terrain.

9. Air India Express Flight 1344 (2020)

Date: 7 August 2020
Location: Kozhikode (Calicut) Airport
Aircraft: Boeing 737-800
Casualties: 21 dead, 165 injured
Cause: Overshooting runway in heavy rain (table-top runway)
Details: Repatriation flight from Dubai under Vande Bharat Mission during COVID-19.

10. Indian Airlines Flight 491 (1993)

Date: 26 April 1993
Location: Aurangabad, Maharashtra
Aircraft: Boeing 737-2A8
Casualties: 55 dead
Cause: Hit a truck during takeoff
Details: The aircraft hit a lorry crossing the runway, lost control, and caught fire.

Boeing Aircraft undergone maximum plane crash

Boeing aircraft under Air India (including Air India Express) have unfortunately been involved in multiple major crashes, especially from the Boeing 707, 737, and 747 series.

Here's a summary of how many times each Boeing series has crashed under Air India / Air India Express:

✅ Air India (and Air India Express) Boeing Aircraft Crashes – Summary

Aircraft Model	No. of Major Crashes	Notable Incidents
Boeing 747	3	- AI Flight 855 (1978, Arabian Sea) - AI Flight 182 (1985, bombing near Ireland) - Mid-air collision at Charkhi Dadri (1996) – SVA 763, but AI involved indirectly
Boeing 737	5	- AI Express 812 (2010, Mangalore) - AI Express 1344 (2020, Kozhikode) - IA Flight 113 (1988, Ahmedabad) - Alliance Air 7412 (2000, Patna) - IA Flight 491 (1993, Aurangabad)
Boeing 707	2	- AI Flight 403 (1982, Mumbai) - AI Flight 101 (1966, Mont Blanc crash in France)

🔹 Note: Alliance Air and Indian Airlines merged with Air India later. Boeing 737s were used in those crashes as well.

🛑 Boeing Model with Most Crashes under Air India umbrella:

✅ Boeing 737 has had the most crashes (5+) in India under Air India, Air India Express, Indian Airlines, and Alliance Air.

Cause of plane crash:

Boeing aircraft under Indian airlines, especially Boeing 737s, do raise critical questions. But to understand the root cause, we need to consider the three major factors behind any aviation accident:

🔍 1. Aircraft Design (Manufacturer Responsibility – Boeing)

Yes, Boeing has faced serious scrutiny, especially after the Boeing 737 MAX crashes (Lion Air 2018, Ethiopian 2019).
These revealed software design flaws (MCAS system) and insufficient pilot training, directly pointing to Boeing's engineering and communication failures.
In India, however, most 737 crashes involved older 737 models (not MAX).
So, while design issues exist globally, most Indian crashes were not primarily due to Boeing’s design, but the brand’s pattern of cost-cutting and delayed transparency globally is troubling.

👨‍✈️ 2. Human Error (Pilot/ATC mistakes)

Most of the major Air India crashes involving Boeing jets in India were attributed to:

Pilot disorientation (e.g., Flight 855)
Hard or improper landings (e.g., Mangalore 2010, Kozhikode 2020)
Poor visibility and navigation errors (e.g., Imphal 1991, Ahmedabad 1988)
Lack of go-around decision when necessary
Ignoring standard landing protocols in bad weather

These indicate that pilot training, fatigue, pressure, and decision-making are major contributors.

3. Surveillance, Infrastructure & Maintenance (Airline / Airport Authority)

Several Indian airports like Mangalore and Kozhikode have table-top runways, where overshooting is dangerous.
Issues like:
- Inadequate runway lighting
- Absence of EMAS (Engineered Material Arresting Systems)
- Outdated or missing terrain radar systems
These deficiencies often magnify small pilot errors into deadly crashes.

Conclusion: It's a Combination

Boeing's design flaws (in some models like 737 MAX) are proven globally.
But most Indian Boeing crashes were due to pilot error and poor airport infrastructure, not inherent aircraft design flaws.
Surveillance systems, training standards, and runway design in India also require improvement.

Concept of Detachable cabin:

There have been concepts and proposals to create a detachable passenger cabin that could separate from the main body of the airplane during a crash or mid-air emergency. The idea is that the cabin would eject and descend safely using parachutes or similar systems.

However, no commercial airliner uses this technology yet. Here’s why:

✅ Proposed Technologies

Some engineers have proposed:

Ejectable cabin modules with parachutes.
Inflatable shock absorbers under the cabin.
Floating cabins for water landings.

For example, Ukrainian engineer Vladimir Tatarenko designed a concept in which the passenger cabin could detach from the fuselage and land safely using parachutes and airbags.

❌ Challenges and Limitations

Extreme engineering complexity – Adding such systems makes the plane much heavier and less fuel-efficient.
High cost – Airlines already work with thin profit margins. Such a system would drastically increase airplane manufacturing and maintenance costs.
Safety paradox – Detaching a cabin mid-air might introduce new risks, like structural failure or incorrect deployment.
Speed and altitude – Many crashes occur at takeoff or landing, where there’s little time or altitude to safely eject a cabin.
Certifications and Regulations – Aviation authorities (like FAA, EASA) require years of testing and proof of reliability before allowing such innovations.

🛬 What's Being Done Instead?

Aviation focuses heavily on crash prevention:

Redundant engines and systems.
Advanced autopilot and navigation.
Rigorous pilot training.
Stronger fuselage and fuel tank designs.

In Summary:

While a detachable passenger cabin is theoretically possible and has been proposed, it’s not yet practical due to engineering, safety, and cost constraints. For now, making flights safer before a crash happens is the most effective strategy.