Air India Flight AI504 Aborts Takeoff at Kochi Airport Due to Technical Issue

A Delhi-bound Air India flight had to cancel its take-off at Kochi airport on Sunday evening because of a technical problem, according to officials. The flight, AI504, was scheduled to fly from Kochi to Delhi but was delayed due to this issue. Lok Sabha member and Congress leader Hibi Eden was among the passengers on board.

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The aircraft's cockpit crew followed standard procedures and stopped the take-off run. They returned the plane to the bay for necessary maintenance checks, as stated by an Air India spokesperson. The airline has decided to switch aircraft, and the flight is now expected to depart at 1 am on Monday.

Technical Issues Affecting Air India Flights

In recent weeks, several Air India flights have encountered technical problems. On August 3, a Delhi-bound flight from Bhubaneswar was cancelled just before departure due to high cabin temperature. Additionally, a Boeing 787-9 aircraft heading to London had to abort take-off at Delhi airport on July 31 due to a technical issue.

Air India also cancelled its Milan-Delhi flight on August 16 after identifying a maintenance issue during pushback. The airline issued a statement explaining that Flight AI138 was cancelled because of this last-minute maintenance task.

Passenger Experience and Airline Response

Passengers on Flight AI504 disembarked safely, and Air India's ground staff in Kochi provided support. The airline expressed regret for the inconvenience caused. In a Facebook post, Ernakulam MP Hibi Eden mentioned that something unusual occurred with Flight AI504, describing it as feeling like the plane skidded on the runway.

The number of passengers on board Flight AI504 could not be immediately confirmed. According to Flightradar24.com, the flight was supposed to operate with an Airbus A321 aircraft. An Air India spokesperson stated that the flight would be rescheduled for later in the evening due to the detected technical issue during take-off roll.

Cochin International Airport Ltd (CIAL) confirmed that a technical problem led to the aborted take-off of the Air India flight. The incident highlights ongoing challenges faced by Air India with technical issues affecting their operations recently.

With inputs from PTI