"Lucky to be Late: Bristol Student Avoids Tragedy by Missing Flight by Minutes"

A Bristol-based student, Bhoomi Chauhan, missed her Air India flight by just 10 minutes due to heavy traffic, saving her life as the aircraft crashed shortly after departure, killing 241 people. Her story underscores the importance of timely travel as she reflects on the miracle that spared her from disaster.

Bhoomi Chauhan felt anger and despair as traffic held her up during her trip to Ahmedabad airport, ultimately causing her to miss her Air India flight to London Gatwick by a mere ten minutes. The 28-year-old business administration student, who resides in Bristol with her husband, had been on holiday in western India. She was set to return on flight AI171, which tragically crashed shortly after departing, resulting in the loss of 241 lives on board as well as 12 crew members and additional casualties on the ground.

Ms. Chauhan arrived at the airport at 12:20 PM local time, just after boarding was scheduled to begin. Despite having checked in online and possessing a digital boarding pass for economy class seat 36G, airline staff denied her access to the airplane due to her lateness. Describing her feelings at that moment, she recalled, "I was very disappointed," adding that in her frustration, she and her group left the airport to grab a tea as thoughts of a ticket refund surfaced.

While she waited to make arrangements for her return, she suddenly received the shocking news that the aircraft had crashed shortly after takeoff. "This is totally a miracle for me," she stated in an interview with the BBC's Gujarati service, grappling with the emotions that accompanied her close brush with danger.

The ill-fated flight took off as planned but seemed to struggle with altitude just 30 seconds into the journey, ultimately crashing into a residential area. Among the 241 passengers who perished were individuals from various nationalities, including British, Portuguese, and Canadian citizens.

As rescue teams sifted through the wreckage and emergency services worked diligently through the night, Ms. Chauhan’s story became one of many that highlighted the tragic consequences of that day. The ongoing investigation into the crash seeks to understand the circumstances surrounding this catastrophic event, reflecting on both the loss of lives and the surprising luck of those who narrowly avoided such fate.