Air India Express Flight Cancellation At Hindon: Technical Fault And Watch Hour Curbs To Blame

An Air India Express flight scheduled to depart from Hindon Airport in Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, was cancelled on Sunday night after encountering a technical problem coupled with operational time restrictions at the airport. The flight was unable to take off as the technical snag occurred close to the end of the airport's permitted operating hours.

Flight Rescheduled for Monday Morning

According to a statement by the airline's spokesperson, flight IX 1512 will now depart on Monday morning once the airport resumes commercial operations. "One of our flights from Hindon is operating with a delay due to a technical issue and the airport's watch hour limitations. The flight will take off once commercial operations resume in the morning," the spokesperson said.

To assist affected passengers, Air India Express has extended multiple options including complimentary hotel accommodation, free rescheduling, or full refunds for those opting to cancel their tickets. The airline also issued an apology for the inconvenience caused and reassured passengers that all efforts are being made to resume the journey promptly.

Calicut-Doha Flight Returns Mid-Air Over Technical Fault

In a separate incident earlier last week, Air India Express flight IX 375, operating between Calicut and Doha, was forced to return mid-air due to a technical fault. The aircraft, which was carrying 188 individuals including crew and pilots, took off at 9:07 am on Wednesday, July 23, but returned safely to Calicut International Airport, landing at 11:12 am.

Airport officials confirmed that the return was precautionary and not an emergency landing. The issue involved a malfunction in the cabin's air conditioning system.

An Air India Express spokesperson stated, "One of our flights returned to Kozhikode shortly after take-off due to a technical issue. We promptly arranged an alternate aircraft, provided refreshments to the guests during the delay, and the flight has since departed."

(With inputs from ANI)