DELHI- Tata Group-owned Air India (AI) flight from Chicago O’Hare Airport (ORD) to Delhi International Airport (DEL) returned to its departure city after being airborne for more than ten hours on Thursday (March 6, 2025).
The airline attributed the return to a technical issue.
Photo: FlightRadar24Air India Flight U-turn
A source familiar with the incident told PTI that the aircraft had to turn back because many of the lavatories were clogged. The flight operated on a Boeing 777-337ER aircraft and returned to Chicago’s ORD airport after more than ten hours in the air, according to data from flight tracking website flightradar24.com.
The Boeing 777-300ER aircraft used by Air India contains ten lavatories, including two reserved for first-class passengers. According to the source, the plane accommodates more than 340 passengers across first, business, and economy class seating.
The flight was operated by Boeing 777-300ER, registered as VT-ALQ. Further, it is a 15.6-year-old aircraft powered by GE90 engines.
Photo: Utkarsh Thakkar (Vimanspotter)An Air India spokesperson confirmed that flight AI126 operating from Chicago to Delhi on March 6 returned to Chicago due to a technical issue.
“Upon landing at Chicago, all passengers and crew disembarked normally and have been provided with accommodation to minimize inconvenience. Alternative arrangements are being made to fly the passengers to their destination,” the spokesperson stated.
The airline also announced that passengers could choose to receive full refunds for cancellations or complimentary rescheduling of their flights.
Photo: Clément AlloingSimilar Incidents
A United Airlines (UA) flight from Newark Liberty International Airport to Dubai International Airport turned back on February 7, 2025, shortly after takeoff.
The Chicago-based carrier operates daily service between the East Coast hub and Dubai using Boeing 777 aircraft. According to FlightRadar24 data, United Airlines flight UA164 departed Newark at 3:08 AM UTC.
The flight encountered technical problems while at an altitude of 19,000 feet. Upon identifying the issue, the flight crew contacted air traffic control and initiated procedures to burn excess fuel.
The aircraft entered a holding pattern near Springfield before returning to Newark Airport as a precautionary measure. The flight landed safely at Newark at 4:41 AM UTC, approximately one hour and thirty minutes after its initial departure.
The service utilized a Boeing 777-200ER aircraft registered as N79011, a 25.7-year-old plane equipped with GE90 engines, known as the world’s most powerful commercial jet engines.
Photo: avgeekwithlens/ Harsh TekriwalAir India Express U-Turn
Air India Express (IX) flight from Bengaluru to Visakhapatnam turned back due to technical issues on January 25, 2025.
Air India Express operates one daily flight between the two South Indian cities using an A320 family aircraft, according to the published schedule.
FlightRadar24 data shows that Air India Express flight IX2563 departed from Bengaluru at 4:46 AM UTC. The flight crew reported technical problems while climbing to 20,000 feet shortly after takeoff.
The crew halted their ascent, communicated with air traffic control, and decided to return to Bengaluru as a precautionary measure. Without burning the extra fuel required for the journey to Visakhapatnam, the aircraft made a heavy landing at Bengaluru airport at 5:27 AM UTC (10:57 AM local time).
Airport officials stated that the flight did not declare an emergency but returned for a precautionary landing due to technical issues. The exact nature of the problem remains undisclosed by both airline and airport authorities.
In a separate incident on January 3, 2024, an Air India Express aircraft bound for Dubai executed an emergency landing at Kozhikode International Airport due to critical landing gear complications. Flight IX345, scheduled to depart at 8:15 AM with an expected arrival in Dubai at 11:05 AM, faced significant mechanical challenges requiring immediate action.
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The post Air India Chicago to Delhi Flight with 777 Makes U-Turn appeared first on Aviation A2Z.
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