Air India : 7 International Flights Cancelled Amid Ongoing Technical Glitches
Air India continues to face severe operational disruptions, with seven international flights cancelled in a single day due to recurring technical issues. The airline’s persistent troubles have sparked fear and frustration among passengers, especially in the aftermath of the recent Ahmedabad–London crash, which claimed the lives of 270 passengers.
On Tuesday, a series of malfunctions grounded six Boeing Dreamliner aircraft and another international service, causing widespread chaos and leaving hundreds of travelers stranded across major Indian airports.
The recent crash involving a Dreamliner has reignited concerns about the aircraft's safety, particularly as the Dreamliner model features heavily in Air India's international fleet. Critics and aviation experts have raised questions over the airline’s maintenance practices and the broader regulatory oversight.
Despite the scale of the crisis, passengers have expressed growing anger over the government’s inaction, as no firm measures have been announced to address the airline’s technical vulnerabilities.
In addition to Air India’s cancellations, two international flights operated by Lufthansa and British Airways—bound for Hyderabad and Chennai from Frankfurt and London respectively—were forced to return to their origin airports on Tuesday due to technical issues.
Flights Cancelled on Tuesday
The seven Air India flights cancelled on Tuesday include:
AI 915 (Delhi–Dubai)
AI 153 (Delhi–Vienna)
AI 143 (Delhi–Paris)
AI 159 (Ahmedabad–London)
AI 133 (Bengaluru–London)
AI 170 (London–Amritsar)
An additional flight (unspecified in number) from Delhi to an international destination
The airline’s woes extend beyond cancellations. On Monday, an Air India flight from Hong Kong to Delhi was forced to return mid-air due to a technical snag. In another serious incident, AI 180, operating from San Francisco to Mumbai, was compelled to make an emergency landing at Kolkata airport after a fault was detected in the aircraft’s left engine.
As delays and cancellations mount, passengers and advocacy groups are calling for a transparent investigation and immediate safety audits of Air India's long-haul fleet. With international connectivity severely impacted, industry analysts warn that the airline’s credibility may suffer long-term damage unless decisive corrective actions are taken.