Key Points
- Air India flight AI 388 from Delhi to Vietnam made an emergency return to Delhi within an hour of takeoff due to a major technical fault.
- The Airbus aircraft circled the airport for an extended period before landing safely; all passengers and crew were unharmed.
- The incident comes amid a wave of cancellations and technical issues, including 66 Dreamliner flights grounded after the recent Ahmedabad crash.
- Passengers voiced frustration over repeated disruptions and questioned Air India’s safety standards and maintenance protocols.
- Air India offered affected passengers full refunds or free rebooking, but social media backlash continues to grow.
New Delhi: In another alarming incident for India’s national carrier, Air India’s Delhi-to-Vietnam flight AI 388 was forced to turn back and make an emergency landing at Indira Gandhi International Airport just under an hour after takeoff. The Airbus aircraft, carrying over 180 passengers, began circling the skies above Delhi after the cockpit crew detected a significant technical fault soon after departure.
According to airport sources, the pilot promptly alerted Air Traffic Control and decided to abort the journey, prioritizing the safety of everyone on board. The aircraft landed safely, and all passengers were escorted back to the terminal, visibly shaken but unharmed.
Pattern of Technical Issues Raises Questions
This latest scare comes on the heels of a string of operational setbacks for Air India. Just days earlier, the airline had announced a 15% reduction in its international flights following the deadly Ahmedabad crash involving a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner (AI 171). Since then, 66 Dreamliner flights have been canceled due to ongoing safety inspections and technical concerns.
What’s particularly concerning in this case is that the affected aircraft was an Airbus a brand globally recognized for its advanced technology and safety features suggesting that Air India’s technical challenges may extend beyond a single aircraft type.
Are Air India’s Safety Protocols Slipping?
The recurrence of technical faults across different aircraft models has triggered a wave of questions:
- Are Air India’s routine technical checks and maintenance procedures being rigorously followed?
- Are pilots and crew receiving timely alerts and adequate support to address in-flight anomalies?
- Is passenger safety at risk due to operational or systemic lapses?
Aviation analysts warn that repeated incidents can erode passenger confidence and damage the airline’s reputation, especially on international routes where competition is fierce.
Passenger Reactions and Air India’s Response
Following the incident, Air India issued a statement offering all affected passengers either a full refund or complimentary rebooking on the next available flight. However, the response did little to quell the frustration of travelers, many of whom took to social media to express their anger and anxiety over the airline’s recent track record.
One passenger tweeted, “How many more close calls before Air India fixes its maintenance issues? We need answers, not apologies.”
The Road Ahead
With both Boeing and Airbus aircraft now implicated in technical troubles, industry experts say Air India must urgently review its engineering, maintenance, and safety protocols. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) is reportedly monitoring the situation closely and may conduct further audits of the airline’s fleet.
