Air India flight aborts take-off while accelerating down runway in Delhi due to technical snag

The pilots applied the brakes to stop the aircraft, which was travelling at 155 km per hour.

Flight AI2403, en route to Kolkata, was scheduled to take off at 5:30 pm on Monday.

Even while on the runway, a technical issue was detected and the pilots, "following a Standard Operating Procedure", decided not to go ahead with the take-off.

In a statement, Air India said, "Flight AI2403 operating from Delhi to Kolkata on 21 July 2025 has been rescheduled to depart later this evening, necessitated by a technical issue detected during the take-off roll. The cockpit crew decided to discontinue the take-off, following Standard Operating Procedures."

"All passengers have disembarked, and our ground colleagues in Delhi are extending support to them. Inconvenience caused to the passengers due to this unforeseen disruption is sincerely regretted. At Air India, the safety and wellbeing of our passengers remain top priority," it said.

In another incident on Monday, a flight flying from Kochi had a close shave at the Mumbai airport while landing after it veered off the rain-soaked runway.

"The aircraft taxied safely to the gate, and all passengers and crew members have since disembarked," Air India said in a post on X.

According to Air India, the aircraft has been grounded for checks, and the inspection is underway. The two pilots have been derostered pending an inquiry into what led to the scare.

The incidents occurred on a day when the Civil Aviation Ministry informed the Rajya Sabha that nine show-cause notices have been issued to Air India in connection with five identified safety violations in the last six months.

The Ministry stated that enforcement action has been completed regarding one violation.

Minister of State for Civil Aviation Murlidhar Mohol said over the last six months, no adverse trend was reported in the reliability reports of Air India in terms of crashes.

However, over the last six months, nine show-cause notices have been issued to Air India in connection with five identified safety violations.

"Enforcement action has been completed in respect of one violation," the minister said in response to queries from CPM member John Brittas, but did not reveal specific details.

Air India's safety standards have come under scrutiny after the June 12 Boeing Dreamliner crash in Ahmedabad, in which 260 people died and 81 were injured.

Of the 242 people on board the Ahmedabad to London plane, only one man had survived. The rest of the casualties took place on the ground as the aircraft crashed into a medical college hostel.

Soon after, civil aviation watchdog DGCA had ordered inspections on the Air India fleet of Boeing 787-8/9 aircraft.

"Of the total 33 aircraft, 31 operational aircraft have been inspected wherein minor findings were observed in 8 aircraft. These were released for operation post rectification. The remaining 2 aircraft are under scheduled maintenance," read a written reply from Civil Aviation Minister K Rammohan Naidu in response to a question from BJP member Ashokrao Shankarrao Chavan.

In another written reply in response to a query by DMK leader Kanimozhi, who had asked about the possibility of sabotage, Mohol said the authorities are looking into every angle to ascertain the cause of the Ahmedabad crash.