Four flights face mid-air disruptions due to snag

In a series of mid-air disruptions on Thursday, four separate commercial flights operated by different airlines either returned to their origin or were diverted due to technical issues or fuel concerns, airline and airport sources said. While no emergency landings were reported, all incidents involved precautionary action by the pilots and led to delays for passengers.

A Delhi-Leh IndiGo flight (6E2006) returned to the national capital after being airborne for over two hours due to a technical snag that posed operational limitations in landing at Leh. The A320 aircraft, which took off in the morning, landed safely in Delhi, according to Flightradar24 data.

The airline said an alternative aircraft was arranged to fly the passengers to Leh. The aircraft is undergoing maintenance.

Similarly, a SpiceJet flight (SG 2696) from Hyderabad to Tirupati returned shortly after take-off due to a snag.

The Q400 aircraft experienced intermittent illumination of the AFT baggage door light, though cabin pressurisation remained normal. “As a precautionary measure, the pilots decided to return to Hyderabad. The aircraft landed safely and passengers deplaned normally,” the airline said. A replacement aircraft was deployed for the onward journey.

In another case, a Guwahati-Chennai private carrier flight with around 168 passengers on board was diverted to Bengaluru after the pilot observed “insufficient fuel” mid-air, airport officials said. The aircraft landed safely in Bengaluru for refuelling and was expected to resume its journey to Chennai shortly after.

Separately, an Air India flight (AI388) from Delhi to Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam also returned to Delhi shortly after take-off due to a technical snag. The Airbus A320neo, which took off at 1.45 pm — 45 minutes behind schedule — hovered briefly before turning back.

Air India confirmed the aircraft returned as a “precautionary measure” and that all 130 passengers disembarked safely. A replacement aircraft with a fresh crew was arranged for the delayed international leg, though no exact departure time was provided.