Air India San Francisco-Mumbai Flight Faces Engine Snag During Kolkata Stopover

By siliconindia  |  Tuesday, 17 June 2025, 11:36:54 AM IST

Air India San Francisco-Mumbai Flight Faces Engine Snag During Kolkata Stopover
  • Air India flight AI180 from San Francisco to Mumbai faced a technical snag in the left engine during a scheduled halt at Kolkata airport.
  • Passengers were asked to deboard after a four-hour wait as a safety precaution, delaying the onward journey to Mumbai.
  • The incident follows a fatal crash of Air India flight AI-171 five days earlier, raising concerns over safety protocols.
An Air India flight (AI180) operating from San Francisco to Mumbai via Kolkata faced a technical snag early Tuesday, prompting an emergency deboarding of passengers during its scheduled halt at Kolkata’s Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose International Airport.
The aircraft, which landed in Kolkata at 12:45 am, encountered a technical issue in its left engine. Despite initial inspections, no immediate resolution was possible. After a prolonged wait of over four hours, an announcement was made at 5:20 am instructing all passengers to disembark. According to reports by news agency PTI, the flight captain cited safety concerns as the reason for the precautionary measure.
A video from the tarmac showed ground staff closely examining the aircraft's left engine, which remained parked at the airport. The delay has caused significant inconvenience to passengers, many of whom were bound for final destinations in Mumbai.
This incident comes just five days after a more serious Air India mishap, where flight AI-171 from Ahmedabad to London’s Gatwick Airport crashed shortly after take-off. The aircraft collided with the BJ Medical College hostel building, killing 241 of the 242 people on board, with only one British national surviving the tragedy.
The recent back-to-back incidents raise pressing questions about aircraft safety and operational scrutiny at the national carrier.

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