NEW DELHI— A Mumbai-bound Air India flight returned to Jaipur just minutes after take-off on Friday following a suspected technical issue.
The flight, AI612, departed from Jaipur at 2:01 p.m. and was scheduled to land in Mumbai at 3:35 p.m. However, the pilots decided to return after just 18 minutes in the air due to a possible fault.
“Flight AI612 operating from Jaipur to Mumbai on 25 July air-returned to Jaipur shortly after take-off due to a suspected technical issue. Troubleshooting checks were carried out and it was determined to be a false indication,” an Air India spokesperson said.
The airline confirmed that the aircraft was cleared for further operations, and the flight subsequently proceeded to Mumbai. “Any inconvenience caused to our passengers for this unforeseen disruption is sincerely regretted. At Air India, the safety and well-being of our passengers remain top priority,” the spokesperson added.
The incident comes days after another Air India flight, AI315 from Hong Kong to Delhi, experienced an auxiliary power unit (APU) fire after landing at Delhi airport on July 22.
“Flight AI315 experienced an APU fire shortly after it had landed and parked at the gate,” an airline spokesperson said. “The incident occurred while passengers had begun disembarking, and the APU was automatically shut down as per system design.”
All passengers and crew were safe, but the aircraft sustained some damage and has been grounded for further investigation. The aviation regulator has been notified, the airline said.
Meanwhile, Air India announced earlier this week that it had completed precautionary inspections on the fuel control switch (FCS) locking mechanisms of all Boeing 787 and Boeing 737 aircraft in its fleet. The checks, conducted in accordance with directives from the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), found no issues.
These inspections were carried out in the wake of the tragic Air India Boeing 787 crash in Ahmedabad earlier this month, which claimed 260 lives. (Source: IANS)
