NEW DELHI— Air India canceled its flight from Singapore to Chennai on Sunday after the Airbus A321 aircraft assigned to the route developed a technical snag.
In a statement, the airline said that Flight AI349 was grounded due to a maintenance issue identified prior to departure, which required additional time to resolve.
“Arrangements are being made to transport passengers to Chennai at the earliest possible opportunity,” the airline stated. “Hotel accommodations have been provided, and passengers are being offered either a full refund or complimentary rescheduling based on their preferences.”
Air India also noted that its ground staff in Singapore are working diligently to minimize inconvenience for affected travelers.
The cancellation adds to a string of recent disruptions involving the airline.
On Friday, an Air India flight from London to Delhi was delayed by over 11 hours, leaving passengers stranded at the airport. That flight, originally scheduled to depart around 8:35 p.m. on August 1, was eventually rescheduled for the following day.
Similarly, a London-bound flight from Delhi on July 31 was forced to return to the bay after the cockpit crew detected a suspected technical issue prior to takeoff. The flight, AI-2017, was halted during taxiing and returned for precautionary checks.
“Following standard operating procedures, the crew chose to discontinue the takeoff run and return the aircraft to the gate,” the airline said. “An alternative aircraft was arranged to fly passengers to London as soon as possible.”
These incidents come on the heels of a critical report from India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), which flagged 51 safety lapses at Air India during its recent annual audit.
The violations included outdated training manuals, incomplete pilot training, unqualified flight simulators, and discrepancies in low-visibility operation approvals. Seven of these were classified as critical Level I breaches, with the DGCA mandating corrective action by July 30. The remaining 44 non-compliances must be addressed by August 23.
The audit follows earlier regulatory action, including the grounding of an Air India aircraft due to an overdue inspection of its emergency evacuation slide—a vital safety component. (Source: IANS)
