Passengers aboard Air India Flight AI180 from San Francisco to Mumbai were unexpectedly deplaned in Kolkata during the early hours of Tuesday after the aircraft reported a technical issue.
The flight, which arrived at Kolkata Airport at 12:45 am, encountered a snag in its left engine, delaying further travel. At approximately 5:20 am, the pilot announced that passengers would need to deplane in the interest of flight safety. All passengers were safely escorted off the aircraft, and no injuries were reported.
While the exact nature of the malfunction remains undisclosed, sources confirm that the issue was significant enough to halt the aircraft’s onward journey to Mumbai.
The incident comes amid a series of technical issues plaguing the airline in recent days. Just a day earlier, an Air India flight to Delhi was forced to return to its origin due to a suspected glitch. On Sunday, a Delhi-Zurich flight was delayed following mandatory checks on a Boeing 787-8 aircraft, causing the flight to arrive late in Switzerland, nearly missing the night curfew.
Additionally, on Monday, Air India Flight AI315 from Hong Kong to Delhi had to return midair due to another technical issue. The airline confirmed that the aircraft landed safely back in Hong Kong and passengers were disembarked without incident. The aircraft is currently undergoing inspection.
In a statement, Air India said, “Flight AI315 operating from Hong Kong to Delhi on June 16, 2025, returned to Hong Kong shortly after takeoff due to a technical issue. The flight landed safely and is undergoing checks as a matter of abundant precaution. Alternative arrangements are being made to fly passengers to their destination at the earliest.”
The incidents come on the heels of the tragic Air India crash near Ahmedabad, which claimed 260 lives, including individuals on the ground. Since then, technical reliability and flight safety have come under increased scrutiny.