An Air India aircraft operating a long-haul service to San Francisco was forced to return to Delhi on Wednesday morning after a technical snag emerged mid-air. The Boeing 777-300 ER, which had around 230 passengers onboard, had already spent more than eight hours in the sky when it made its way back, news agency PTI reported citing sources.
Data from flight-tracking portal Flightradar24 indicated that the aircraft began diverting while flying over Chinese airspace, roughly three hours into its journey. The Delhi to San Francisco flight, AI173, eventually landed safely at the Indira Gandhi International Airport.
"The aircraft landed safely and will undergo technical inspection in line with Air India's safety standards," the airline said in a statement. A source also confirmed that approximately 230 passengers were onboard during the incident.
Passengers assured assistance and fresh travel arrangements
Expressing regret over the inconvenience caused, the airline added that it was arranging alternate travel options for the affected passengers. "In the meantime, our ground teams are providing all necessary assistance to the passengers, including refreshments, hotel accommodation or rescheduling as opted by them," Air India stated. A thorough technical inspection of the aircraft is expected to be conducted before it can be cleared for future operations.
Air India to cut 22% domestic flights
In another development, Air India is set to reduce up to 22 per cent of its domestic flights amid rising operational costs due to high fuel prices, according to sources. The loss-making airline, which is facing financial headwinds, has reduced international flights by around 27 per cent, the sources said.
Air India operates around 4,400 weekly flights. Out of them, about 3,600 are domestic and 800 are international services. "In continuation of our previously announced adjustments to select international services between June and August 2026, we have temporarily rationalised operations on certain domestic routes during the same period, with a reduction in frequencies on select routes," Air India said in a statement on Wednesday.
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