Air India London-Delhi Flight Faces over 11 Hours Delay Due To Crew Duty Time Limitations, Night Curfew

Air India's flight from London to the national capital on Friday was delayed by more than 11 hours and will now depart on Saturday morning.

"Flight AI2018 from London Heathrow to Delhi on Aug. 1 is delayed due to the late arrival of incoming aircraft and is now scheduled to depart at 0800 hrs local time on Aug. 2. The delayed arrival resulted in the crew coming under the mandatory flight duty time limitation norms as well as night curfew restricting operations at London airport," Air India said in a statement.

Passengers have been offered the option of full refunds on cancellation or complimentary rescheduling of their tickets.

The flight was originally scheduled to depart at around 2035 hours on Aug. 1, according to information available on flight tracking website Flightradar24.com.

Details about the number of passengers was not immediately available. The flight will be operated with a Dreamliner Boeing 787-9.

On Thursday, the London-bound Dreamliner aborted takeoff at the Delhi airport due to a technical issue and an alternate Dreamliner operated the flight to London.

"Flight AI2017, operating from Delhi to London on July 31, returned to the bay due to a suspected technical issue. The cockpit crew decided to discontinue the takeoff run following standard operating procedures and brought the aircraft back for precautionary checks," the airline said in a statement on Thursday and added that an alternative aircraft was being deployed.

In the statement on Friday, Air India said the passengers are being duly informed about the revised departure time.

"Our ground colleagues in London will make every effort to minimise the inconvenience caused to any passenger by offering hotel accommodation and refreshments. Full refunds on cancellation or complimentary rescheduling will also be offered to passengers based on their preference," it added.

Generally, the duration of the London-Delhi flight is around 10 hours.