Air India flight AI111 to London returns to Delhi after seven hours in air over suspected technical issue

An Air India flight bound for London returned to Delhi on Thursday after a suspected technical issue was detected mid-air. Flight AI111, operating from New Delhi to London, made a precautionary return to the national capital after being airborne for several hours.

The aircraft involved was an Airbus A350-900 operating the long-haul route to Heathrow Airport. According to an airline spokesperson, the plane safely landed back in Delhi after the crew decided to return following a suspected technical issue. The airline said the aircraft will now undergo extensive technical evaluation in line with safety protocols. Sources indicated that unusual noises were reportedly heard during the flight, prompting the decision to divert the aircraft. The plane had already been airborne for about four hours and was flying over Saudi Arabian airspace when the diversion decision was taken. Overall, the aircraft remained in the air for nearly seven hours before landing back in Delhi around 12:30 pm.

The airline expressed regret over the inconvenience caused to passengers and said efforts were being made to help them continue their journey to London at the earliest. Reports also noted that the same aircraft had earlier experienced a technical issue on March 15, when a flight from New York to Delhi was diverted to Shannon in Ireland.