Air India's 'wrong' Canada-bound Boeing 777 recalled mid-flight over China
What's the story
An Air India flight from Delhi to Vancouver had to return mid-air as the wrong aircraft was dispatched. The airline mistakenly sent a Boeing 777-200 long range (LR) instead of the approved Boeing 777-300 extended range (ER) version. The error was discovered after the plane had already been flying for over four hours, when it was over Chinese airspace near Kunming.
Return flight
Flight AI185 took off at 11:34am
The flight, AI185, took off from Delhi at 11:34am and was scheduled to reach Vancouver. However, it had to return after around nine hours of flying. The aircraft landed in Delhi at 7:19pm on Thursday. An Air India spokesperson confirmed the incident, saying, "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."
Passenger assurance
Passengers disembarked safely, hotel accommodation provided
The spokesperson added that all passengers and crew members had disembarked safely. "The aircraft landed safely, and all passengers and crew had disembarked," the spokesperson said, adding, "We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to our guests by this unforeseen situation." The airline's ground teams in Delhi provided necessary assistance, including hotel accommodation for affected passengers.
Internal review
Airline to take action against those responsible for lapse
The airline is reportedly taking the costly mistake seriously and is contemplating action against those responsible for the lapse. A Boeing 777 burns about 8-9 tons of fuel every hour, depending on wind flows and other factors. This error comes at a time when oil prices are high, and the rupee continues to hit new life-lows daily.