AI Dreamliner likely to return Delhi after being repaired in Melbourne

, Nov 5: The windshield of

Dreamliner which developed a crack while landing at the airport here is expected to return

tonight after being repaired, officials said on Tuesday.

The windshield of AI-311 operating on Delhi-Melbourne- Sydney route with 80 passengers and 12 crew members onboard, cracked as the plane landed at Melbourne airport on Monday.

"The jet is being currently fixed with a new windshield," Madhu Mathen, Air India's local manager, told PTI here. "It was a minor incident and there was no panic or threat in the flight," Mathen said.

Meanwhile, sources said that the damaged aircraft is expected to return to Delhi on Tuesday night after being repaired. Mathen said that the aircraft normally have multiple layers and such things can happen to any aircraft anywhere.

The windshield cracked as the plane landed in Melbourne

He said though it was difficult to know the reason for the crack right now, but it could be because of rapid change in atmosphere.

He, however, said that Air India Dreamliner flight from Melbourne to Delhi left on Tuesday on its normal schedule.

"Delhi bound flight left this morning from Melbourne as per its normal time," he added.

The incident is the latest in a string of mishaps this year involving the state-of-the-art plane. Last month, another AI Dreamliner flight to New Delhi with about 200 passengers on board returned to Melbourne Airport after taking off due to a technical snag. The jet was later fixed and resumed the flight next day.

PTI