Kolkata, 17 June 17 (H.S.): An Air India flight (AI180) operating from San Francisco to Mumbai made an unscheduled halt at Kolkata airport early Tuesday after developing a technical snag in its left engine. The aircraft landed in Kolkata on schedule at 12:45 AM, but the onward journey was delayed due to the detected issue. At around 5:20 AM, the captain made an onboard announcement instructing all passengers to deboard, citing safety concerns.
The captain assured passengers that the decision was made purely in the interest of flight safety.
This incident follows a series of technical and operational setbacks for Air India and its subsidiary Air India Express on Monday.
Earlier in the day, Air India’s flight AI2493 from Mumbai to Ahmedabad was cancelled due to operational issues. The Airbus A321-211 (VT-PPL) assigned to operate the flight was delayed for unspecified reasons. During the delay, the assigned crew exceeded their Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL), resulting in the flight’s cancellation.
In another incident, an Air India Express flight from Delhi to Ranchi had to return to the capital shortly after take-off due to a suspected technical glitch. The Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft was originally scheduled to land at Ranchi’s Birsa Munda Airport at 6:20 PM.
An Air India Express spokesperson said, “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.”
Additionally, an Air India flight AI315 operating between Hong Kong and Delhi was forced to return mid-air on Monday after the pilot reported a suspected technical problem. The flight, operated by a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, was expected to land in Delhi at 12:20 PM. All passengers were safely deboarded, and the aircraft is currently undergoing inspection.
These back-to-back disruptions have once again raised concerns about technical preparedness and operational efficiency within India’s flagship carrier and its subsidiaries.
Hindusthan Samachar / Satya Prakash Singh
