Air India's San Francisco-bound flight returns to Delhi after mid-air technical snag
New Delhi, May 27
An Air India flight bound for San Francisco returned to Delhi on Wednesday morning after remaining airborne for over eight hours due to a technical issue, the airline said.
The airline said Flight AI173 -- carrying around 230 passengers-- operating from Delhi to San Francisco, returned to Delhi in accordance with laid down safety procedures. The aircraft involved was a Boeing 777-300 ER.
"The aircraft landed safely and will undergo technical inspection in line with Air India's safety standards," the airline said in a statement.
According to information available on flight-tracking website Flightradar24.com, the aircraft remained airborne for more than eight hours.
The plane reportedly started diverting back towards Delhi after flying for over three hours while it was in Chinese airspace.
Air India expressed regret over the inconvenience caused to passengers and said efforts were underway to make alternative arrangements for them to reach their destination at the earliest.
"We regret the inconvenience caused to the passengers and are making alternative arrangements to fly them to their destination as soon as possible," it said.
"In the meantime, our ground teams are providing all necessary assistance to the passengers, including refreshments, hotel accommodation or rescheduling as opted by them," the airline added.
The airline has not disclosed the exact nature of the technical issue, and the aircraft will now undergo detailed technical checks.
In the mean time, our ground teams are providing all necessary assistance to the passengers, including refreshments, hotel accommodation or rescheduling as opted by them.
Meanwhile, last week, an Air India flight operating from Bengaluru to Delhi was involved in an engine fire incident after landing at Delhi airport on May 21.
Air India confirmed an incident involving Flight AI2802 operating from Bengaluru to Delhi.
"During the aircraft's final approach into Delhi, the cockpit crew received a fire indication from one of the engines. The indication was subsequently confirmed as true. The crew followed all standard operating procedures and landed the aircraft safely at Delhi airport. All passengers and crew are safe and have disembarked normally," said Air India on X on May 21.
— IANS
Reader Comments
This is the third incident involving Air India this month. First the Bengaluru flight fire, then the Delhi airport collision, and now this. I understand safety is paramount, but there needs to be better maintenance oversight. Passengers deserve reliable service, especially on ultra-long-haul routes like this.
Flying over Chinese airspace for 3 hours before turning back? That must have been a tough call for the pilots. Kudos to them for making the right decision. Air India needs to improve its fleet maintenance though - these Boeing 777s are getting old. Time for some serious investment in the fleet. 💪🇮🇳
As someone who flies regularly between India and the US, this is concerning. The fact that Air India didn't disclose the nature of the technical issue raises questions about transparency. However, I appreciate that they're arranging hotels and refreshments. Let's hope the airline learns from these incidents.
Imagine sitting for 8 hours only to end up back where you started! 😂 But seriously, I'm glad everyone is safe. Air India should consider compensating passengers for the lost time and inconvenience. Also, they need to look into their maintenance protocols - this is becoming a pattern.
Air India's safety procedures are world-class, no doubt. But the airline has been struggling with aging fleet issues since before privatization. The new owners need to accelerate fleet modernization. Passengers should not have to worry about technical snags on international flights. 🙏
<
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.