Air India Flight from Hong Kong Catches Fire After Landing in Delhi; All Passengers Safe
The auxiliary power unit (APU) of Air India flight AI-315, arriving from Hong Kong to Delhi, caught fire shortly after landing at the Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) on Tuesday. The fire was detected while passengers were deboarding the aircraft, but fortunately, all passengers and crew were reported safe.
🔥 Fire Contained, APU Automatically Shut Down
The auxiliary power unit, a smaller engine that powers onboard systems when the aircraft engines are off, automatically shut down upon fire detection. Air India confirmed that the Airbus A321 aircraft sustained minor damage and has since been grounded pending a detailed investigation.
The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has been notified about the incident.
🚨 3 Air India Incidents in 48 Hours
This is the third alarming incident involving Air India in just two days, raising serious concerns about safety standards and maintenance protocols at the Tata-owned airline.
- 🔸 Kochi-Mumbai Flight Incident: On Monday, an Air India flight skidded off the runway during landing in Mumbai, damaging both the aircraft and the tarmac.
- 🔸 Delhi-Kolkata Aborted Takeoff: Later the same day, a Delhi to Kolkata flight aborted takeoff at 155 km/h due to a technical fault.
✈️ Shadow of the AI-171 Boeing Crash
This latest incident comes weeks after the catastrophic crash of Air India’s Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner (Flight AI-171) from Ahmedabad to London, which killed 274 people, including 19 on the ground.
- The plane lost thrust mid-air and crashed into a college hostel, just 32 seconds after takeoff.
- Investigations revealed both fuel supply switches were moved to ‘CUTOFF’ mode seconds after takeoff.
- A controversial cockpit audio snippet raised speculation about pilot error, though Indian authorities have condemned unverified international reporting on the issue.
🛫 Regulatory Response & Global Scrutiny
In light of the recent events:
- The AAIB (Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau) has ordered mandatory checks on Boeing 787 fuel switches.
- Air India claims all Boeing jets have cleared these checks.
- India’s junior Aviation Minister revealed that Air India received nine DGCA notices in six months, indicating persistent safety issues.
🧾 Summary Points:
- Air India AI-315’s APU caught fire after landing in Delhi.
- Incident occurred during passenger disembarkation; no injuries reported.
- Third Air India incident in 48 hours, following runway veer-off and aborted takeoff.
- Comes amid ongoing investigation into the deadly AI-171 crash.
- Raises questions about maintenance protocols and crew training.
