Air India flight forced to turn back after 8 hours in air as airline sends wrong aircraft to Vancouver

The issue was identified several hours into the flight, while the aircraft was already flying over Chinese airspace near Kunming. By that point, it had been airborne for more than four hours. The airline then instructed the crew to turn the flight back to Delhi. According to flight tracking data, the aircraft, which departed at 11:34 am, landed back in the capital at 7:19 pm.

In a costly operational error, an Air India flight bound for Vancouver was forced to return to Delhi after nearly nine hours in the air, when the airline discovered it had used an aircraft not authorized for operations into Canada. Flight AI 185 departed Delhi on March 19 with a full passenger load and followed an unusual eastward route to avoid the Gulf conflict zone. However, the airline deployed a Boeing 777-200LR, even though it is only permitted to operate the Boeing 777-300ER on routes to Canada.

The issue was identified several hours into the flight, while the aircraft was already flying over Chinese airspace near Kunming. By that point, it had been airborne for more than four hours. The airline then instructed the crew to turn the flight back to Delhi. According to flight tracking data, the aircraft, which departed at 11:34 am, landed back in the capital at 7:19 pm.

Aviation regulations vary by country, with approvals sometimes granted based on airlines, aircraft fleets, or specific aircraft types. In this instance, Canada has authorised Air India to operate only the Boeing 777-300ER, and not the Boeing 777-200LR that was mistakenly used.

The incident has prompted serious internal scrutiny within the airline. According to The Times of India, citing sources, the lapse is being handled with urgency and accountability measures are being considered. 

The financial impact of the error is significant. A Boeing 777 typically burns about 8–9 tonnes of fuel per hour, depending on conditions. With global oil prices high and the rupee weakening, the diversion resulted in a significant and avoidable expense for the airline, which is still striving to strengthen its financial position.

However, An airline spokesperson said: "Air India flight AI185, operating from Delhi to Vancouver on March 19, returned to Delhi due to an operational issue and in line with established standard operating procedures. The aircraft landed safely, and all passengers and crew had disembarked."

"We sincerely regret the inconvenience caused to our guests by this unforeseen situation. Our ground teams in Delhi had provided all necessary assistance, including offering hotel accommodation, while every effort was made to fly the passengers to their destination at the earliest. The flight departed this morning for Vancouver with the passengers. At Air India, the safety and well-being of our passengers and crew remain our highest priority," the spokesperson added.