Air India flight canceled after bird hit; 21 cancellations today
What's the story
An Air India flight from Delhi to Pune, carrying over 100 passengers, suffered a bird hit on Friday, forcing the return voyage to be canceled the same day.
Flight AI-2469 took off from Delhi at 5:31am and arrived in Pune at 7:14am.
"Flight AI2470 scheduled to operate from Pune to Delhi on June 20 has been canceled due to a bird-hit, which was detected after the incoming flight landed safely in Pune," the airline said.
Earlier
Air India cancels multiple flights
In the morning, Air India had also canceled a number of international and domestic flights for June 20.
The airline said the cancelations were due to "enhanced maintenance and operational reasons."
The affected international flights include AI906 (Dubai to Chennai), AI308 (Delhi to Melbourne), AI309 (Melbourne to Delhi), and AI2204 (Dubai to Hyderabad).
Domestic impact
Airline has offered full refunds
The domestic flights affected by the cancelations include AI874 (Pune to Delhi), AI456 (Ahmedabad to Delhi), AI2872 (Hyderabad to Mumbai), and AI571 (Chennai to Mumbai).
The airline has offered full refunds or complimentary rescheduling options for passengers whose flights were canceled.
Air India has warned of possible further disruptions due to "continuing enhanced checks on our aircraft, airspace restrictions, and inclement weather."
Travel advisory
Check flight status
The airline has advised travelers to check their flight status through its official channels.
"Passengers are encouraged to verify the latest information prior to departure to avoid unexpected delays," a statement from the airline read.
In addition to the cancelations, Air India will also reduce 38 international flights per week and suspend some overseas routes from June 21 to July 15, 2025.
The airline said these reductions are aimed at restoring schedule reliability and minimizing last-minute disruptions for travelers.