Technical Glitches, Emergency Landings and Mid-Air U-Turns: What’s Behind Air India’s Recent Troubles?
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In recent days, Air India has been grappling with a worrying wave of technical snags, flight disruptions, and mid-air emergencies - fueling anxiety among flyers and prompting questions about the airline’s safety protocols.
This comes right after the devastating crash of Flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London, which resulted in the tragic loss of over 270 lives. Since then, a series of back-to-back incidents have unsettled both passengers and aviation authorities.
Let’s break down what’s been happening in the skies - and on the ground - with Air India and its subsidiary, Air India Express.
San Francisco-Mumbai Flight Faces Engine Trouble in Kolkata
On Tuesday, passengers aboard Flight AI180 flying from San Francisco to Mumbai via Kolkata found themselves unexpectedly grounded. After landing in Kolkata for a scheduled stop, a fault was discovered in the aircraft's left engine.
The delay stretched for hours before passengers were officially informed. As per PTI, the captain explained the issue was being addressed “in the interest of flight safety.” Visuals from the tarmac showed ground crew inspecting the engine, with the onward journey to Mumbai postponed.
Delhi-Ranchi Flight Forced To Turn Back Mid-Air
Just a day earlier, a Delhi-Ranchi Air India Express flight had to abort its journey shortly after takeoff. The flight had departed at 4:25 pm but returned to Delhi due to a suspected technical snag.
An airline spokesperson confirmed, “The aircraft returned to Delhi after takeoff due to a suspected technical issue. Post inspections and clearance, it resumed scheduled operations.”
Hong Kong-Delhi Dreamliner Makes Emergency Landing
The same day, Air India Flight 315, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, took off from Hong Kong en route to Delhi. About 90 minutes into the flight, while cruising at 22,000 feet, pilots flagged a technical issue and informed ATC, “We don’t want to continue further.”
The flight made an emergency U-turn and landed safely. Notably, this was the same model of aircraft involved in the recent Ahmedabad disaster.
Delhi-Vadodara Flight Grounds Over Landing Gear Worry
On Sunday, Flight AI819 from Delhi to Vadodara experienced trouble with its landing gear. The Airbus A321 had just taken off when the crew noticed it wasn’t retracting properly.
Delhi ATC was immediately alerted, and the aircraft safely returned to IGI Airport. The airline later clarified that this was a preventive step and resumed service after conducting technical checks.
Guwahati-Kolkata Flyers Endure Nightmare Delay
Passengers on Air India Express flight IX-1226 had a particularly rough time over the weekend. Scheduled to depart Guwahati at 9:20 pm on Saturday, the flight was first delayed due to a technical fault.
Passengers remained onboard past midnight before being moved to a lounge and later a hotel, which many criticised for poor conditions. Worse, the same aircraft was re-used the next day - only to be grounded again for the same issue.
Eventually, a new plane was arranged and the flight finally took off at 3:34 pm on Sunday. Several passengers opted to cancel and switch airlines. Air India Express later apologised, stating that “all guests were provided with hotel stays and alternate booking options.”
Mounting Issues, Growing Concerns
With multiple emergency landings, mid-air U-turns, and cascading delays piling up in the wake of a major tragedy, the spotlight is firmly on Air India’s operations.
While no recent incidents have resulted in injury, the sheer volume of back-to-back problems is causing growing unease among travellers. At a time when public trust is fragile, the airline must now work swiftly to restore confidence and reassure flyers that safety is, indeed, its top priority.
This comes right after the devastating crash of Flight AI171 from Ahmedabad to London, which resulted in the tragic loss of over 270 lives. Since then, a series of back-to-back incidents have unsettled both passengers and aviation authorities.
Let’s break down what’s been happening in the skies - and on the ground - with Air India and its subsidiary, Air India Express.
San Francisco-Mumbai Flight Faces Engine Trouble in Kolkata
On Tuesday, passengers aboard Flight AI180 flying from San Francisco to Mumbai via Kolkata found themselves unexpectedly grounded. After landing in Kolkata for a scheduled stop, a fault was discovered in the aircraft's left engine.
The delay stretched for hours before passengers were officially informed. As per PTI, the captain explained the issue was being addressed “in the interest of flight safety.” Visuals from the tarmac showed ground crew inspecting the engine, with the onward journey to Mumbai postponed.
Delhi-Ranchi Flight Forced To Turn Back Mid-Air
Just a day earlier, a Delhi-Ranchi Air India Express flight had to abort its journey shortly after takeoff. The flight had departed at 4:25 pm but returned to Delhi due to a suspected technical snag.
An airline spokesperson confirmed, “The aircraft returned to Delhi after takeoff due to a suspected technical issue. Post inspections and clearance, it resumed scheduled operations.”
Hong Kong-Delhi Dreamliner Makes Emergency Landing
The same day, Air India Flight 315, a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, took off from Hong Kong en route to Delhi. About 90 minutes into the flight, while cruising at 22,000 feet, pilots flagged a technical issue and informed ATC, “We don’t want to continue further.”
The flight made an emergency U-turn and landed safely. Notably, this was the same model of aircraft involved in the recent Ahmedabad disaster.
Delhi-Vadodara Flight Grounds Over Landing Gear Worry
On Sunday, Flight AI819 from Delhi to Vadodara experienced trouble with its landing gear. The Airbus A321 had just taken off when the crew noticed it wasn’t retracting properly.
Delhi ATC was immediately alerted, and the aircraft safely returned to IGI Airport. The airline later clarified that this was a preventive step and resumed service after conducting technical checks.
Guwahati-Kolkata Flyers Endure Nightmare Delay
Passengers on Air India Express flight IX-1226 had a particularly rough time over the weekend. Scheduled to depart Guwahati at 9:20 pm on Saturday, the flight was first delayed due to a technical fault.
Passengers remained onboard past midnight before being moved to a lounge and later a hotel, which many criticised for poor conditions. Worse, the same aircraft was re-used the next day - only to be grounded again for the same issue.
Eventually, a new plane was arranged and the flight finally took off at 3:34 pm on Sunday. Several passengers opted to cancel and switch airlines. Air India Express later apologised, stating that “all guests were provided with hotel stays and alternate booking options.”
Mounting Issues, Growing Concerns
With multiple emergency landings, mid-air U-turns, and cascading delays piling up in the wake of a major tragedy, the spotlight is firmly on Air India’s operations.
While no recent incidents have resulted in injury, the sheer volume of back-to-back problems is causing growing unease among travellers. At a time when public trust is fragile, the airline must now work swiftly to restore confidence and reassure flyers that safety is, indeed, its top priority.
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