London-bound Air India flight returns to bay after suspected technical issue

Mumbai, July 31 (IANS) A London-bound Air India flight from Delhi was forced to return to the bay on Thursday after the cockpit crew detected a suspected technical fault before take-off.

The flight, callsign AI-2017, was preparing to depart when the pilots halted the departure and brought the aircraft back for checks.

"Flight AI-2017 operating from Delhi to London on July 31 returned to bay due to a suspected technical issue. The cockpit crew decided to discontinue the take-off run following standard operating procedures and brought the aircraft back for precautionary checks," the airline said in a statement.

The airline said that all necessary safety procedures were followed and that an alternative aircraft is being arranged to fly the passengers to London as soon as possible.

“Our ground staff is extending all support and care to the guests to minimise inconvenience caused due to this unexpected delay. At Air India, the safety and well-being of our passengers remain the top priority,” the airline added.

The incident comes just days after the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) flagged 51 safety lapses at Air India during its annual audit.

These included outdated training manuals, incomplete pilot training, unqualified simulators, and irregularities in low-visibility operation approvals.

Of these lapses, seven were classified as critical Level I breaches, which the airline was instructed to address by July 30. The remaining 44 non-compliances must be rectified by August 23.

The DGCA’s action followed recent enforcement measures, including the grounding of an Air India aircraft found to have an overdue inspection of its emergency slide -- a crucial safety feature.

The regulator has also issued three show-cause notices to the airline, giving it 15 days to respond.

Earlier, Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol told Parliament that the DGCA had immediately grounded the aircraft involved in the overdue slide inspection until the necessary checks were completed.

"DGCA immediately grounded the aircraft till the required rectification was carried out. DGCA has initiated enforcement action against Air India and the responsible personnel as per the Enforcement Policy and Procedure Manual of DGCA," Mohol, said in a written reply to a question in the Rajya Sabha.

--IANS

pk/rad