Air India Flight Returns Mid-Air After 7 Hours
Delhi-Vancouver plane turns back from Chinese airspace due to operational issue
- Air India flight AI185 returned to Delhi after 7 hours airborne
- Aircraft turned back while flying over Chinese airspace
- Airline cites “operational issue,” all passengers safe
- Flight resumed next morning with passengers onboard
GG News Bureau
New Delhi, 21st March: An Air India flight from Delhi to Vancouver was forced to return mid-air after being airborne for over seven hours due to an operational issue, the airline confirmed on Friday.
Flight AI185, operated by a Boeing 777-200 LR aircraft, had already entered Chinese airspace before it was turned back to the national capital, according to flight tracking data.
In a statement, Air India said the aircraft landed safely in Delhi and all passengers and crew disembarked without any incident.
“Air India flight AI185, operating from Delhi to Vancouver on March 19, returned to Delhi due to an operational issue and in line with established standard operating procedures. The aircraft landed safely,” the airline said.
While the airline did not disclose specific details, sources indicated that the return could have been triggered by an administrative or technical concern related to the aircraft.
The plane, registered as VT-AEI, remained airborne for more than seven hours before making the return journey.
Air India later confirmed that the flight resumed operations, departing for Vancouver with the same set of passengers on Friday morning.
