Air India Flight AI-314 Mid-Air Scare: Shaking Door Plugged with Napkins, Viral Post Sparks Debate

The flight in question, AI-314, operated by Boeing 787 Dreamliner, took off from Delhi on the morning of June 1, 2025, headed for Hong Kong. Around an hour into the journey, passengers reportedly heard strange noises coming from one of the aircraft’s doors. According to a viral LinkedIn post, the door began shaking violently, raising fears of a possible structural failure or decompression.

Passenger Account: “A Scary 15-Minute Trauma”

A LinkedIn user shared images and firsthand accounts from passengers on that flight. In the post, he wrote:

“Please zoom and take a closer look at the image of the door, as shared by one of the passenger travelling by Air India flight AI-314 departed from New Delhi to Hong Kong on 1st June 2025.”

“After about an hour of take-off, the door started shaking and making noise. It seemed the door seal came off due to air pressure.”

He further detailed that for about 15 minutes, the cabin crew worked swiftly to push the door back into position, using paper napkins to reduce the noise and prevent further shaking.

Thankfully, after that traumatic quarter of an hour, the situation stabilized, and the flight landed safely at Hong Kong International Airport without further incident.

Air India’s Official Response

Following widespread concern on social media and news reports, Air India issued an official statement clarifying the situation.

What Air India Said:

• The noise was not from the door itself but from a decorative door panel that became slightly dislodged during flight.
• The crew, upon inspection, confirmed that no safety parameters were compromised.
• After landing, engineering teams at Hong Kong International Airport thoroughly checked the aircraft and certified it fit for service.
• The return flight AI-315 from Hong Kong to Delhi experienced no such issues.

The airline emphasized:

“We would like to reiterate that the safety of our customers and crew remains our top priority.“

Safety Measures and Checks

Air India further assured that their aircraft undergo multiple engineering and safety checks before every takeoff. This includes cabin, mechanical, and pressure checks — especially on wide-body aircraft like the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Passenger Safety vs Public Perception

While technically the integrity of the pressurized door wasn’t breached, the optics of using paper napkins to plug a door panel naturally raised eyebrows. Social media users reacted sharply:

• “Is this how India’s flagship carrier ensures passenger safety?“
• “How could this happen weeks after a major crash involving another Air India plane?“

While experts have pointed out that decorative panels do not play a structural role in the aircraft’s safety, the situation understandably shook the confidence of passengers already nervous from recent aviation headlines.

Backdrop: Air India AI-171 Crash

This incident comes just days after the devastating crash of Air India flight AI-171 on June 12, 2025. The Boeing Dreamliner 787-8 bound for London’s Gatwick Airport crashed shortly after takeoff from Ahmedabad International Airport. Tragically, 241 out of 242 passengers lost their lives, making it one of India’s worst aviation disasters in recent memory.

Although the two incidents are unrelated, their proximity in time is adding to growing public concern about the maintenance standards of Air India.

Experts Speak: How Serious Was the Incident?

According to aviation experts:

• Decorative door panels are non-structural; they cover the mechanical parts of the actual aircraft door, which is reinforced and locked airtight.
• Paper napkins were likely used to stop the vibration noise rather than to prevent decompression.
• Nonetheless, the fact that such an incident occurred points to maintenance issues that need to be addressed immediately by the airline.

Air India’s Safety Record: A Checkered Past

Despite being India’s flagship carrier, Air India’s reputation has taken a beating over the last few years:

1. Flight delays and cancellations.
2. Customer complaints about hygiene and service quality.
3. Technical glitches, including this recent mid-air incident.
4. Serious accidents like the AI-171 crash.

Now that Tata Group owns Air India, there’s increasing pressure to modernize operations and restore passenger confidence in the airline’s safety and service standards.

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