Daijiworld Media Network – New Delhi
New Delhi, Mar 20: In a major operational lapse, an Air India flight bound for Vancouver from Delhi was forced to turn back after flying for nearly four hours on Thursday. The aircraft, which had reached Chinese airspace, was ordered to return to Indira Gandhi International Airport because the airline had deployed an aircraft version not cleared to enter Canada.
The flight, AI 185, took off from Delhi at 11:34 am on Thursday. While Air India has the necessary clearances to operate its Boeing 777-300 Extended Range (ER) fleet to Canada, it mistakenly deployed a Boeing 777-200 Long Range (LR) version for this journey.
Technical oversight
Different countries maintain specific protocols for foreign carriers, often granting approvals based on specific aircraft models or individual tail numbers. In this instance, Air India’s approval for Canadian shores is limited to the ER variant. The error was only realized when the plane was over Kunming, China.
According to flight tracking data, the aircraft landed back in Delhi at 7:19 pm, ending a nearly eight-hour flight that resulted in zero progress toward its destination.
Financial and passenger impact
The blunder comes at a particularly difficult time for the airline, as global oil prices have surged past $110 per barrel and the Indian rupee has hit record lows against the US dollar. A Boeing 777 typically burns between 8 to 9 tonnes of fuel per hour, making the sixteen-hour round trip an incredibly expensive "human error."
While passengers heading west are currently accustomed to potential diversions due to the conflict in West Asia, a mid-air return while flying the eastern route due to a paperwork lapse has surprised aviation experts.
Official response
An Air India spokesperson confirmed the incident, stating, "Air India flight AI185 returned to Delhi due to an operational issue and in line with established standard operating procedures. The aircraft landed safely, and all passengers and crew disembarked."
The airline expressed regret for the inconvenience and provided hotel accommodations for the stranded passengers. The flight eventually departed for Vancouver on Friday morning using the correct aircraft type. Sources indicate that the airline has taken a serious view of the lapse, and disciplinary action is being contemplated against those responsible for the fleet assignment.