AI180 Develops Technical Fault in Left Engine After Landing at Kolkata Airport; Passengers Stranded for Over 4 Hours Before Being Asked to Disembark
Mumbai: Passengers onboard Air India flight AI180 from San Francisco to Mumbai via Kolkata faced major inconvenience in the early hours of Tuesday after the aircraft developed a technical fault in its left engine, prompting an emergency halt and eventual passenger disembarkation in Kolkata.
The flight, which departed from San Francisco International Airport as per schedule, reached Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport in Kolkata at 12:45 am for a routine stopover. However, during ground checks before take-off to its final destination, Mumbai, a malfunction was detected in the aircraft’s left engine.
“At around 5:20 am, after keeping passengers onboard for more than four hours, an official announcement was made requesting everyone to disembark the aircraft,” said a source at Kolkata Airport.
The announcement came after the pilot-in-command informed passengers that the decision to delay departure and disembark was taken in the interest of flight safety.
Air India’s technical team was immediately pressed into action to assess and resolve the fault. However, passengers reported anxiety and discomfort during the long wait inside the grounded aircraft.
“We were kept in the plane without any clear updates for hours. Only after 5 am were we told to disembark. It was frustrating, but safety comes first,” said a passenger who was travelling from San Francisco to Mumbai.
The airline has not yet issued an official statement on the nature of the fault or the revised departure time for the affected leg of the journey.
Meanwhile, airport authorities and Air India ground staff are working to arrange alternate accommodations and refreshment services for the stranded passengers until the aircraft is cleared for departure or a replacement flight is arranged.
This incident comes at a time when Air India is under the scanner for a series of operational and technical hiccups in recent months, raising concerns over fleet maintenance standards.
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