Air India Flight Aborts Take-off at High Speed in Delhi; Aircraft Grounded

NEW DELHI:
A major mishap was averted at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport on Sunday evening when Air India’s Delhi-Kolkata flight AI2403 aborted take-off at a high speed of 155 km/h due to a technical fault.

The aircraft was scheduled to depart at 5:30 pm. However, the cockpit crew detected a technical issue during the take-off roll and immediately applied brakes, bringing the plane to a halt. The decision was taken as per standard operating procedures, said the airline in a statement.

Following the incident, all passengers were safely deboarded and were extended assistance by ground staff. The flight has been rescheduled. Air India expressed regret for the inconvenience caused and reiterated that passenger safety remains its top priority.

This comes on the same day as another incident in Mumbai, where a Kochi-Mumbai Air India flight veered off the runway while landing on a rain-soaked surface. The aircraft sustained damage, and the runway lights and signage were broken. All passengers are safe, and the aircraft has been grounded for inspection.

The Civil Aviation Ministry, in response to queries in the Rajya Sabha, revealed that Air India has received nine show cause notices in the past six months in connection with five safety violations.