3 India-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliners return mid-air in 36 hours amid snags, bomb scare

In a troubling trend for aviation safety, three India-bound Boeing 787 Dreamliner flights returned to their origin airports within 36 hours due to technical issues and a bomb scare—just days after the fatal Air India crash in Ahmedabad that killed over 270 people.

The latest incident involved an Air India flight AI-315 from Hong Kong to Delhi. The plane, which took off around 12:16 pm local time, returned to Hong Kong within an hour due to a suspected technical snag. All passengers disembarked safely, and checks are underway. The airline said alternative arrangements are being made.

Another Dreamliner, British Airways' London-Chennai flight, also returned to Heathrow shortly after takeoff on Sunday due to a technical issue. Passengers landed safely and were offered further assistance. Flight data revealed the aircraft circled above the English Channel before turning back.

The most alarming incident came from Germany, where a Lufthansa flight bound for Hyderabad was forced to return to Frankfurt after a bomb threat surfaced on social media. Authorities in Hyderabad reportedly denied landing clearance, prompting the flight to reverse course. Lufthansa stated that passengers were accommodated in Frankfurt and would continue their journey after security clearance.

These back-to-back incidents have intensified concerns around Boeing 787 safety, especially in the wake of the June 12 crash in Ahmedabad where a London-bound Air India Dreamliner crashed into a building, leaving only one survivor.