India, however, had some reason to cheer
For international civil aviation, 2014 was a terrible year with three deadly accidents that claimed almost 700 lives. India was just as shaken by these events but its domestic record, however, offered just about enough reason for a cheer or two. The year began with the disappearance of Malaysian Airlines Flight 370 on March 8. A mammoth multi-national search and rescue operation was launched: More than a dozen nations, including India, sent their war ships and airplanes to scan the seas and the skies for weeks; billions of dollars were spent and the most advanced of technologies known to mankind were deployed. Yet, almost 10 months later, there is little information about what happened to the 239 people flying one of the world's safest airplanes, operated by one of the world's best airlines.
In this age of instant communication and information that is only a click away, the MH370 episode was a culture shock. And just when the world was coming to terms with the inexplicability of MH370, it was hit again — with the downing of Malaysian Airlines flight 777 in Ukraine on July 17 that killed all 298 people on board. The fact that a large civilian aircraft could be crashed so easily, ostensibly by a handful of boys with some big guns, seemed surreal. Sure, Ukraine was conflict territory, much like Afghanistan and Iraq have been for years, but does the situation on the ground matter when one is flying above the cloudsIJ Even before the authorities could agree on an answer, three more accidents occurred back-to-back: Taiwan's TransAsia Airways Flight 222 crashed on July 23, killing 48 of the 58 people on board; the next day, an Air Algérie flight crashed in Mali killing all 116 people; then, in August, Iran's Sepahan Airlines Flight 5915 crashed and went up in flames, killing 39 of the 48 people on board.
And just when you thought that the year could not get any worse, Air Asia flight QZ8501 disappeared into thin air this past Sunday. Some wreckage has been found but there is still no clarity on how or why the plane went down, bringing back eerie memories of MH370. In India, thankfully, there were no major accidents in 2014 and overall, the aviation sector had a mixed record. Kingfisher Airlines, which had been grounded since 2012, was finally shut down on December 31. Many fear that Spice Jet, which almost went bankrupt in 2014, may also go down that same route. On the upside, 2014 saw Air India sealing its partnership with Star Alliance, which was welcomed by frequent flyers. Also, two new airlines were launched — in June, Air Asia's inaugural flight here took off, while in August, Vistara Airlines was formally founded. Both are joint ventures, with Tata Group as the Indian partner. While Air Asia will add to the economy segment, Vistara will compete in the full-service, luxury segment, thereby offering Indian travelers a greater range of options in the new year.