In a concerning development for Air India’s operational safety, a San Francisco–Mumbai flight that was set to make a stop in Kolkata experienced a technical issue, leading to the deboarding of all passengers early Tuesday morning.
Flight AI180 touched down in Kolkata at 12:45 AM as scheduled. However, prior to its next leg to Mumbai, ground engineers identified a malfunction in the aircraft’s left engine. This discovery resulted in an extended delay, leaving passengers waiting on the tarmac for almost five hours. Around 5:20 AM, the passengers were finally informed to disembark, as the pilot emphasized that safety was the top priority in this decision.
Eyewitness accounts from the airport revealed ground staff diligently inspecting the aircraft’s left engine, which remained at Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport.
This incident comes amid rising apprehension regarding Air India’s technical readiness and standards of fleet maintenance. Just five days earlier, a tragic accident involving Air India flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to London’s Gatwick Airport resulted in catastrophe. That flight lost control shortly after takeoff and crashed into the BJ Medical College hostel building, claiming the lives of 241 of the 242 individuals onboard. The sole survivor has been identified as British national Vishwas Kumar Ramesh.
The recent sequence of incidents has led aviation analysts and regulatory authorities to scrutinize Air India’s maintenance protocols, particularly given the airline’s recent fleet expansions and international route enhancements subsequent to its acquisition by the Tata Group. Passengers are increasingly voicing their apprehensions regarding crucial factors such as safety, punctuality, and transparency—elements that have surged into the spotlight amidst these unsettling events.
