Air India London Flight Grounded 6 Hours Due to Technical Fault
Air India passengers stranded amid shocking tech meltdown.
Passengers on Air India flight AI129, bound for London from Mumbai, faced a frustrating ordeal on Saturday after the aircraft was grounded for more than six hours due to a technical malfunction. The flight, originally scheduled to depart at 6:30 AM, was rescheduled to 1:00 PM, leaving hundreds of travelers stranded and exhausted at the airport.
According to Air India’s official statement, the delay was caused by unforeseen technical difficulties that required immediate inspection and clearance before takeoff. While maintenance teams worked to resolve the issue, the airline said it had provided refreshments and assistance to waiting passengers. However, many flyers expressed frustration online, citing sleepless nights and uncertainty about their travel plans.
Several passengers reported that they were initially informed of a minor half-hour delay before boarding. The boarding process began around 6:00 AM, later than the planned 5:20 AM time. After everyone was seated, passengers remained inside the aircraft for nearly ninety minutes before being asked to deplane. They were later informed that the flight would likely depart around 12:00 PM, but the takeoff was pushed further to 1:00 PM, extending the inconvenience.
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The incident followed widespread disruptions in flight operations across India on Friday morning, when over 100 flights were delayed at Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGIA) due to a technical glitch in the Air Traffic Control (ATC) system. The Delhi Airport authority confirmed the issue, saying their team was coordinating with the Delhi International Airport Limited (DIAL) and other stakeholders to restore normal operations as quickly as possible.
Airlines including Air India, IndiGo, and SpiceJet issued travel advisories warning of potential delays and long wait times. Air India posted on X that the ATC problem was “beyond the airline’s control” but assured passengers that cabin crew and ground staff were working round the clock to minimize inconvenience. The airline also urged travelers to check flight updates before heading to the airport to avoid additional disruptions amid ongoing technical challenges in India’s aviation network.
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