A San Francisco-bound Air India Boeing 777 carrying around 250 passengers returned to Delhi on Wednesday after remaining airborne for nearly nine hours due to a technical issue.
The wide-body aircraft, registered as VT-ALL, reportedly developed a problem with its Traffic Collision Avoidance System (TCAS), a critical safety feature required for flights operating over the North Atlantic region.
The aircraft had departed from Delhi at 3:09 am and was already flying over China when Air India decided to instruct the pilots to return to the national capital.
According to senior pilots, a fully functional TCAS is mandatory worldwide for aircraft flying above 29,000 feet. In several regions, including the European Union and Dubai, aircraft without a working TCAS are not permitted to operate at any altitude.
The TCAS system enables aircraft to communicate with each other when they come dangerously close, allowing one plane to descend and the other to climb automatically to avoid a collision.
After spending several hours in the air, the aircraft landed safely at Delhi’s IGI Airport shortly after noon.
A Boeing 777 typically burns around 8 to 9 tonnes of fuel per hour, depending on wind conditions and other operational factors. With global oil prices remaining high and the rupee under pressure, the incident is expected to add to the financial strain on the loss-making airline.
In an official statement, Air India said:
“AI 173 from Delhi to San Francisco on May 27 has returned to Delhi due to a technical issue in accordance with the laid down procedures. The aircraft landed safely and will undergo technical inspection in line with Air India’s safety standards.”
The airline also apologised for the inconvenience caused to passengers and said alternative arrangements were being made to help them reach San Francisco at the earliest possible time.
“Our ground teams are providing all necessary assistance to the passengers, including refreshments, hotel accommodation or rescheduling as opted by them. The safety and well-being of passengers and crew remain Air India’s highest priority,” the airline added.
This is at least the second such incident involving an Air India long-haul flight in just over two months.
On March 19, a Vancouver-bound Boeing 777-200LR had also returned to Delhi after flying for nearly nine hours. That incident reportedly occurred because Air India’s Boeing 777-300ER fleet had clearance to operate flights to Canada, while the 777-200LR aircraft sent that day did not have the required approval.
Air India has been working to reduce costs after reporting heavy losses in the previous financial year and has also significantly cut down its flight operations.