Air India Express Flight To Phuket Returns To Hyderabad Minutes After Takeoff Due To Technical Glitch

An Air India Express flight en route to Phuket, Thailand, was forced to return to Hyderabad shortly after departure due to a technical issue. The flight, IX110, operated using a Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft (registration VT-BWA), took off from Rajiv Gandhi International Airport at 6:40 am on Saturday, July 19-approximately 20 minutes later than its scheduled time of 6:20 am. Just 16 minutes into the journey, the aircraft turned around and landed safely back in Hyderabad without any incident.

The flight was originally expected to arrive in Phuket at 11:45 am. However, the journey was cut short due to an unspecified technical snag. While the exact nature of the issue has not been officially disclosed, aviation sources confirmed that the crew responded swiftly, placing passenger safety above all else.

Air India Express Responds with Apology

Air India Express issued a public apology via social media platform X (formerly Twitter), stating: "Accept our sincere apologies for the disruption of your flight. To assist you further and check the latest status, please DM us your booking details (PNR). Thanks for your patience and understanding."

The airline is currently assisting affected passengers, advising them to remain in contact for updates and alternative travel arrangements. Fortunately, no injuries or serious complications have been reported, and an internal investigation into the technical issue is ongoing.

In a separate incident earlier, another Air India Express flight-this one scheduled from Jaipur to Dubai-was grounded after a technical glitch was detected just before takeoff. The Boeing 737 Max, with a seating capacity of 189 passengers, was set to depart Jaipur International Airport at 6:35 am.

As the aircraft was taxiing toward the runway, the pilot identified a technical anomaly and immediately aborted the takeoff. The plane returned to the parking bay, where engineers conducted a thorough inspection. Following the evaluation, authorities decided to cancel the flight. No injuries were reported, and alternate arrangements were being planned for passengers.

Both incidents highlight the airline's ongoing challenges but also underline the effectiveness of its safety protocols and crew readiness in ensuring passenger well-being.