Probe initiated after three Air India aircraft damaged at Delhi airport
New Delhi, June 8
A probe has been initiated after three Air India aircraft parked at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport were damaged when ground support equipment was displaced during sudden adverse weather conditions.
According to Delhi International Airport Ltd (DIAL), the incident -- which took place on Sunday at Terminal 2 after strong winds accompanied by heavy rainfall -- caused ground handling equipment positioned near parked aircraft to shift from its location and collide with three Air India narrow-body aircraft.
Following the incident, all three aircraft were withdrawn from service to undergo detailed inspections and repairs.
In addition, DIAL said the displaced equipment belonged to Air India Engineering Services and IndiGo's ground handling operations.
Weather conditions deteriorated rapidly and unexpectedly, adding that neither the airport operator nor airlines had received any advance warning regarding the sudden weather change from Air Traffic Control (ATC), according to airport officials.
However, Air India has not commented on the incident till writing this story.
Moreover, reports claim that an aircraft belonging to other operators was also affected because of the severe weather conditions.
Apart from that, two of the three affected Air India aircraft are expected to return to operations soon, while repairs on the third aircraft may take longer.
The incident comes amid increasing operational challenges posed by sudden weather disruptions, particularly during periods of intense rainfall and strong winds.
Delhi-NCR has witnessed a sudden change in weather as rainfall lashed several parts of the region. During the day, visuals from areas around the Indira Gandhi International (IGI) Airport showed rain sweeping across multiple localities near the airport.
In addition, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecasted another spell of very light to light rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms and gusty winds reaching up to 60 kmph on June 11 and 12.
— IANS
Reader Comments
The weather has been so unpredictable in Delhi-NCR lately. I was at IGI last week during that sudden downpour and it was chaotic. But DIAL should have better contingency plans than this. At least no one was hurt, thankfully. 👀
As someone who flies often between Delhi and New York, this is unsettling. Aircraft are supposed to be secured even in adverse weather. The fact that ATC didn't warn them about the sudden change is a serious lapse. Hope the investigation is thorough.
It's not just Air India's fault—IndiGo's ground handling equipment also played a role. This shows a systemic issue across multiple airlines at Delhi airport. Safety should never be compromised, especially when flights are so expensive these days. 😤
I'm glad the aircraft were empty and no ground staff were injured. But this incident raises questions about how often ground equipment is secured in Indian airports. With monsoon season arriving, DIAL and airlines must act fast to prevent future mishaps.
Air India has been improving lately but this is a clear setback. Engineering services need to be more robust. Also, IMD's forecast for June 11-12 with gusty winds up to 60 kmph is a red flag—airport authorities better be prepared. 🤞
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