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Series of Technical Glitches Disrupt Air India Operations across Routes
Air India’s international and domestic operations faced multiple disruptions on Monday and Tuesday as a string of technical issues and operational challenges led to flight delays, cancellations, and emergency returns.
One of the more significant incidents occurred early Tuesday when Flight AI180 from San Francisco to Mumbai was grounded during its scheduled layover at Kolkata Airport. Although the flight landed on time at 12:45 am, a technical problem in the left engine delayed its onward journey. At around 5:20 am, passengers were asked to disembark following an onboard announcement. The captain informed them that the decision had been made in the interest of flight safety.
On Monday, another flight, AI2493 from Mumbai to Ahmedabad was cancelled after prolonged delays due to operational issues. According to sources cited by news agency ANI, the Airbus
A321-211 (VT-PPL) assigned to the route faced initial delays for unspecified reasons. As time passed, the assigned crew exceeded their Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL), the maximum hours crew members are allowed to work under safety regulations. This ultimately led to the cancellation of the flight.
Also on Monday, an Air India Express flight from Delhi to Ranchi was forced to return to Delhi shortly after takeoff due to a suspected technical issue. The Boeing 737 Max 8 was scheduled to arrive at Ranchi’s Birsa Munda Airport at 6:20 pm, but was diverted back as a precaution. Following inspection and clearance, the aircraft resumed normal operations.
A spokesperson for Air India Express confirmed the development, saying, “One of our flights returned to Delhi after takeoff due to a suspected technical issue. Following inspections and necessary clearances, the aircraft resumed scheduled operations. We regret the inconvenience caused.”
Earlier that day, Flight AI315 from Hong Kong to Delhi was also forced to return mid-air after the pilot reported a potential technical problem.
The flight, operated by a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, had been scheduled to land in Delhi at 12:20 pm. It safely returned to Hong Kong, where all passengers deboarded without incident. The aircraft is currently undergoing a detailed safety inspection.
