Air India flight to Vancouver turns back mid-air over aircraft approval issue
PTC Web Desk: An Air India flight headed to Vancouver was forced to return to Delhi after spending nearly nine hours in the air, following a regulatory oversight involving the aircraft used for the journey.
Flight AI185 departed from Delhi at around 11:34 am and initially followed an eastward path, avoiding sensitive airspace over conflict-hit regions. However, several hours into the flight, while flying over Chinese territory near Kunming, the airline identified a critical issue: the aircraft deployed for the route did not have the necessary clearance to operate in Canadian airspace.
The plane involved was a Boeing 777-200LR. Air India is currently authorised to use only its Boeing 777-300ER fleet for flights to Canada, as aviation permissions can sometimes be tied to specific aircraft types or configurations, depending on international regulations.
Once the discrepancy came to light, the airline decided to abort the journey and recalled the aircraft to Delhi as per safety and compliance protocols. The flight landed safely at approximately 7:19 pm. All passengers and crew disembarked without any reported issues.
In its official response, Air India termed the situation an “operational issue” and expressed regret for the inconvenience caused. The airline also stated that support arrangements were made on the ground, including hotel accommodation and assistance for onward travel.
The disrupted service resumed the following day, with passengers being flown to their destination.
The incident is likely to have financial implications for the airline, as long-haul aircraft such as the Boeing 777 consume a significant amount of fuel, estimated at several tonne per hour, making such diversions costly.
- With inputs from agencies
