An Air India flight bound for Mumbai returned to Jaipur in Rajasthan shortly after take-off on Friday, after pilots suspected a technical fault in the aircraft, reported the IANS.
The flight, which departed Jaipur at 2:01 pm, was scheduled to land in Mumbai at 3:35 pm, but returned after being airborne for only 18 minutes.
“Flight AI612, operating from Jaipur to Mumbai on 25 July, returned to Jaipur shortly after take-off due to a suspected technical issue. After conducting troubleshooting checks, it was confirmed to be a false indication,” an Air India spokesperson said, according to the IANS.
The aircraft was subsequently cleared for operations and resumed its journey to Mumbai. “We sincerely regret any inconvenience caused to our passengers. At Air India, passenger safety and well-being remain our utmost priority,” the spokesperson added, as per the news agency.
The incident follows another safety concern involving Flight AI 315 from Hong Kong to Delhi, which experienced a fire in its Auxiliary Power Unit (APU) after landing at Delhi airport on July 22.
The fire broke out after the aircraft had parked at the gate, while passengers were disembarking. The APU was automatically shut down as designed. The airline confirmed that all passengers and crew were safe, though the aircraft sustained some damage and has been grounded for further investigation. The aviation regulator (DGCA) has been notified.
“Flight AI 315, operating from Hong Kong to Delhi on July 22, 2025, experienced an auxiliary power unit (APU) fire shortly after it had landed and parked at the gate. The incident occurred while passengers had begun disembarking, and the APU was automatically shut down as per system design,” an airline spokesperson had said in a statement on July 22, according to the PTI.
The spokesperson said there was some damage to the aircraft, while passengers and crew members disembarked normally and are safe.
“The aircraft has been grounded for further investigations and the regulator has been duly notified,” the spokesperson had stated earlier.
Meanwhile, in response to recent concerns, Air India also completed precautionary inspections on the Fuel Control Switch (FCS) locking mechanisms of all Boeing 787 and 737 aircraft in its fleet. These checks were carried out in line with DGCA safety directives, following the tragic Boeing 787 crash in Ahmedabad, which claimed 260 lives.
“No issues were found during these inspections,” the airline confirmed, as per the IANS.
(with IANS and PTI inputs)