28-year-old student Bhoomi Chauhan from Bristol, England escaped a tragedy after being 10 minutes late for her flight. According to Bhoomi, heavy traffic on the Ankleshwar–Ahmedabad route was the reason why she missed the boarding time of Air India Flight AI171.
Even after she completed her online check-in, the airline staff did not allow her to board. “I was only 10 minutes late. I begged them to let me in, but they still refused,” Bhoomi said. As a result, she was forced to wait outside the airport with her travel agent while wondering how to refund the ticket.
While drinking tea outside, Bhoomi received a call from the airline. The plane she was supposed to be on crashed. She was filled with shock and gratitude for her life. “This is totally a miracle for me,” she said.
Bhoomi's story quickly went viral online. Many netizens said it was a "blessing in disguise". Some even said, "Delay is a form of blessing," and "The ticket can be paid, but life is not."
Air India Flight AI171, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, crashed on June 12, 2025 after experiencing mid-air problems. It was one of the worst aviation accidents in India in ten years.
