Actress Celina Jaitley reacted to the tragic crash of Air India Flight AI171, which occurred on Thursday, June 12. The Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, operating from Ahmedabad, Gujarat to London’s Gatwick Airport, crashed seconds after takeoff at around 1:30 p.m. Of the 242 passengers and crew on board, only one survived, leaving the nation in shock. In light of the devastating incident, Celina recalled an emotional experience from her own past involving Air India.
She shared how, at the age of 19, she suffered a heartbreak at JFK in New York. While travelling alone, an older Air India crew member comforted her throughout the flight, offering support and holding her hand as she cried all the way to Mumbai. "I've known that kindness personally. I still remember flying solo from Singapore to Mumbai with my infant twins, how the Air India crew went above and beyond to help," she shared.
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Further, Celina also opened up about a recent incident during her return from Bahrain in March 2025, when an Etihad crew member accidentally spilled an entire tray of drinks on her, leaving her drenched from head to toe.
During her time of distress, Celina was reminded of her late mother's wise words - "Always remember, child, an honest mistake is still just that. Never let your class of travel define your class of heart," which helped her calm down. "They gave me 10 thousand miles as an apology as well and I was very grateful for the kindness and compassion that followed in my journey," she said.
She added, "To all the cabin crew around the world you hold more than just trays and boarding passes. You hold space for human frailty, for tears, for safety, and for grace. May those lost in yesterday’s tragedy fly high into the eternal light. May we all learn to travel not just in comfort, but in compassion."
