Air India Vancouver flight makes mid-air return after ‘wrong’ Boeing 777 aircraft deployed

An international flight operated by Air India from Delhi to Vancouver was forced to return mid-air after it was discovered that the aircraft deployed for the route did not have the necessary approvals for operations to Canada. The flight, AI185, had departed on March 19 and remained airborne for several hours before turning back, causing disruption for passengers and operational losses for the airline.

The service was operated using a Boeing 777-200LR aircraft, but officials later found that this particular variant was not cleared for operations to Canada. The flight reportedly turned back while flying over Chinese airspace after remaining airborne for roughly four hours and eventually landed safely in Delhi. All passengers and crew disembarked without incident.

An airline spokesperson said the flight returned to Delhi due to an “operational issue” and in accordance with established standard operating procedures. Ground teams arranged assistance for passengers, including hotel accommodation, while efforts were made to transport them to Vancouver at the earliest. The airline later operated the service again using the appropriate aircraft.

Officials familiar with the matter said the flight should have been operated with a Boeing 777-300ER, which holds the necessary approvals for Canadian operations. International aviation routes require aircraft-specific clearances depending on airport infrastructure, ground handling systems and regulatory requirements. The incident also carried financial implications, with fuel consumption, passenger accommodation and operational delays likely resulting in losses running into several crores.