Air India Jets Divert Twice in 48 Hours Over Technical Snags; Delhi-Bengaluru flight lands safely in Bhopal

Airport Director Ramji Awasthi told reporters the pilot declared the diversion the moment warning lights appeared. “Standard protocol. The aircraft touched down without incident,” he said. All 172 souls aboard 162 passengers and 10 crew walked off unhurt. Engineers completed checks, refuelled the jet, and cleared it for departure by 11 p.m.

Barely 36 hours earlier, Air India flight AI174, a Boeing 777-300ER carrying travellers from San Francisco to Delhi, diverted to Ulaanbaatar’s Chinggis Khaan International Airport on Saturday night. The airline’s post on X read: “Safe landing…team inspecting the aircraft and assisting passengers.” India’s Ministry of External Affairs is now arranging onward flights for the stranded group.

The twin diversions mark the third Air India technical upset in three weeks. On October 17, a Milan-Delhi service was cancelled, stranding 256 passengers until a ferry flight retrieved them two days later.

Industry watchers say the carrier’s aging wide-body fleet and stretched maintenance cycles are under fresh scrutiny as India’s aviation regulator reviews logbooks. Air India, now back in Tata Group hands, insists safety remains “non-negotiable” and points to global norms that treat every caution light as a potential emergency.

Passengers on the Bhopal leg praised the crew’s calm. “Captain came on the PA twice clear, no panic,” said Bengaluru tech consultant Neha Rao. In Mongolia, travellers await hotel vouchers and clarity on re-routing.

With winter fog and peak festive traffic looming, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation has asked Air India for a detailed report within 72 hours. Reliable news updates on fleet readiness are expected by week’s end.