Passengers aboard an Air India flight from San Francisco to Mumbai faced delays after a technical fault was detected in one of the aircraft’s engines during a scheduled stopover in Kolkata early Tuesday.
Flight AI180, operated by a Boeing 777-200LR, landed at 12:45 AM in Kolkata and was set to depart for Mumbai at 2:00 AM. However, during the stop, a technical issue in the left engine was identified. By 5:20 AM, an onboard announcement instructed all passengers to deplane. The flight’s captain cited “flight safety” as the reason for the precautionary measure.
Footage from Kolkata airport showed the aircraft stationed on the tarmac as technical personnel examined the faulty engine. The incident has intensified concerns over the operational reliability of wide-body aircraft, particularly Boeing models, following a string of recent technical mishaps.
Just a day earlier, on Monday morning, Flight AI315—an Air India Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner flying from Hong Kong to Delhi—was forced to return mid-air due to a suspected malfunction. The same aircraft model was involved in the tragic crash of Air India Flight 171 near Ahmedabad, which claimed over 270 lives.
In another separate case, British Airways Flight BA35, en route to Chennai from London Heathrow, also experienced a technical fault and had to turn back after nearly two hours in the air. This flight too was operated using a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner.
In response to the recent spate of incidents, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has ordered Air India to implement additional maintenance procedures for its entire fleet of Boeing aircraft. The directive includes checks on fuel parameters, critical systems diagnostics, cabin air compressor inspections, electronic engine control testing, and a comprehensive review of take-off thrust and performance data.
Authorities say the move aims to bolster flight safety and prevent further disruptions amid rising public and regulatory scrutiny.