An Air India Express flight bound for Phuket, Thailand, made an emergency return to Hyderabad just 16 minutes after takeoff on Saturday (July 19). Flight IX110, operated by a Boeing 737 Max 8 (registration VT-BWA), departed Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at 6:40 am, around 20 minutes behind its scheduled time of 6:20 am, but soon had to abort its journey due to a technical issue.
No official reason revealed yet
The aircraft was originally scheduled to land in Phuket at 11:45 am. However, after a brief time in the air, it turned back and safely landed in Hyderabad. While the exact nature of the technical snag has not yet been revealed, aviation sources confirm that the crew took swift action to prioritise passenger safety.
Airline issues apology on social media
Following the disruption, Air India Express addressed the issue on social media platform X (formerly Twitter), posting, “Accept our sincere apologies for the disruption of your flight. To assist you further and check the latest status, please DM us your booking details (PNR). Thanks for your patience and understanding.”
Passenger assistance underway
Affected passengers were advised to stay in touch with the airline for updates and rebooking options. As of now, no injuries or serious concerns have been reported, and further investigations into the technical issue are expected.
Technical snag grounds Air India Express flight from Jaipur to Dubai
Earlier, an Air India Express flight bound for Dubai was cancelled after the pilot detected a technical glitch just before takeoff at Jaipur International Airport. The Boeing 737 Max aircraft, with a seating capacity of 189, was scheduled to depart at 6:35 am. However, as it moved onto the runway, the pilot noticed the issue and immediately aborted the takeoff. The plane was then taxied back and examined by the airline’s technical crew.
After inspection, the decision was made to cancel the flight, according to airport authorities. No passengers were harmed, and alternate arrangements were expected to be made for those affected.
