An Air India flight from Delhi to Vancouver returned to the national capital after spending more than seven hours in the air, leaving passengers on what effectively became a “flight to nowhere”.
In a statement issued on Friday, Air India said the aircraft landed safely at Delhi airport and all passengers and crew disembarked without any problem.
Flight AI185 took off on Thursday and was operated using a Boeing 777-200LR aircraft. According to flight tracking data, the aircraft had reached near Kunming in Chinese airspace before it turned back and headed to Delhi.
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Air India said the return was due to an “operational issue” and was carried out in line with standard operating procedures. The aircraft landed safely in Delhi, and all passengers and crew disembarked without any incident.
However, sources indicated that the diversion was triggered after it was discovered mid-flight that the aircraft had not been registered for operations into Canada. As a result, the flight had to turn back instead of continuing to Vancouver.
Sources in the airline described this as a “clerical error”. The aircraft being used — a Boeing 777-200LR — was not listed under the Foreign Operators Authorisation Certificate required for flights into Canada. Air India usually operates the Boeing 777-300ER on this route, which is cleared for such operations.
The mid-air turnaround meant passengers spent close to nine hours flying before returning to where they started, adding to the inconvenience.
In its official statement, Air India said passengers were provided full support after landing. Ground teams arranged hotel accommodation and other assistance, and efforts were made to ensure they could continue their journey at the earliest.
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The airline also apologised for the disruption, stating that the safety and well-being of passengers and crew remain its top priority. It confirmed that the flight departed again for Vancouver on Friday morning with the affected passengers.
"We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to our guests by this unforeseen situation. Our ground teams in Delhi had provided all necessary assistance, including offering hotel accommodation, while every effort was made to fly the passengers to their destination at the earliest." said official statement by Air India.
The number of passengers on board is not disclosed yet.
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