Air India in crisis: 7 flights cancelled in one day, SFO-Mumbai flight hit by engine snag

Air India is facing its biggest operational crisis since being acquired by the Tata Group three and a half years ago, with seven international flights cancelled on Tuesday and a technical snag forcing passengers on the San Francisco–Mumbai flight to deboard during a scheduled stopover in Kolkata.

The crisis comes on the heels of the tragic crash of the Ahmedabad–London flight (AI171) on June 12, which killed over 270 people. Investigations into that incident are still ongoing.

On Tuesday, six international flights were grounded as the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) subjected Air India’s Dreamliner fleet to enhanced safety checks. Meanwhile, the Ahmedabad–London Gatwick flight was cancelled due to a lack of aircraft availability.

Other cancelled flights included:

Delhi–Paris (AI143), due to technical issues found during pre-flight checks,

Bengaluru–London,

London–Amritsar,

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Delhi–Vienna,

Delhi–Dubai,

Mumbai–San Francisco.

Air India clarified that it is offering full refunds and free rescheduling options to affected passengers and is working on alternative arrangements for their travel.

Meanwhile, flight AI-180 from San Francisco to Mumbai via Kolkata — rerouted due to the closure of Pakistani and Iranian airspace — developed a technical snag in one of its engines after landing at Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, Kolkata. The Boeing 777-200 LR, carrying 211 passengers, was grounded for hours as engineers attempted repairs.

Although passengers were initially told the issue would be resolved within 25 minutes, the situation dragged on past 5 am, after which all passengers were asked to deplane. Several connecting passengers expressed frustration, while others said safety was paramount. Many were moved to hotels after long waits, but some continued to seek immediate options to reach Mumbai.

No official statement has yet been released by Air India regarding the Kolkata disruption. Sources say the airline is making “special arrangements” to move the stranded passengers to Mumbai.

With multiple cancellations, rising passenger dissatisfaction, and investigations underway into the recent fatal crash, the current disruptions have cast a shadow over Tata's management of India’s national carrier, despite its global reputation in other sectors.

(With inputs from PTI)