Mumbai-bound Air India flight from San Francisco suffers technical snag; passengers deplaned in Kolkata
Flight AI180 landed on time at 12.45 am, but a snag in the left engine delayed its onward departure. Around 5.20 am, an onboard announcement directed all passengers to disembark.
The aircraft's captain informed passengers that the decision was made in the interest of flight safety.
Earlier on Monday, Air India's flight AI2493 from Mumbai to Ahmedabad was cancelled after facing delays due to operational issues, news agency ANI reported, citing sources. The Airbus A321-211 (VT-PPL), assigned to operate the flight, was initially delayed for unspecified reasons.
During this time, the assigned crew exceeded their Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL), the maximum hours crew members are allowed to work to ensure safety, leading to the flight's cancellation.
Meanwhile, an Air India Express flight from Delhi to Ranchi was forced to return to the capital shortly after take-off on Monday due to a suspected technical problem.
The Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft was originally scheduled to land at Ranchi's Birsa Munda Airport at 6.20 pm.
After inspection and clearance, the aircraft resumed normal operations, an airline spokesperson said.
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.'
Earlier in the day, an Air India flight bound for Delhi was forced to return to Hong Kong mid-air after the pilot reported a suspected technical problem.
Flight AI315, operated by a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, had taken off from Hong Kong and was expected to land in Delhi at 12.20 pm, according to flight tracking site FlightRadar24.
All passengers deboarded safely, and the aircraft is currently undergoing a safety inspection.
ANI inputs
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