In Lucknow, AI flight declared ‘unfit to fly’ before boarding

“The pilot reported a potential technical fault during pre-departure checks, and the aircraft was immediately declared unfit to fly,” said an airport source

A morning flight from Lucknow to Hyderabad was declared “unfit to fly” minutes before 150 passengers were about to board it here on Sunday after it developed a technical snag, officials said.

(For representation)

Air India (AI) Express’ Flight IX 2816, a Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft, was scheduled to take off from Chaudhary Charan Singh International Airport at 8:40 am. However, just as boarding gates were expected to open, airline staff informed passengers of a sudden cancellation, citing safety concerns raised by the pilot.

According to airport officials, the aircraft landed in Lucknow earlier in the morning from Hyderabad, arriving ahead of schedule. It was meant to return to Hyderabad and continue onward to multiple southern destinations, including Goa, Vijayawada, and Visakhapatnam.

“The pilot reported a potential technical fault during pre-departure checks, and the aircraft was immediately declared unfit to fly,” said an airport source, who didn’t wish to be named. Maintenance crews were deployed to inspect the aircraft, which remains grounded at the airport.

In response to the disruption, the airline offered affected passengers options to either reschedule their travel or claim a full refund. Accommodation was also arranged for those opting to wait for alternate flights.

The aircraft in question, registered as VT-BWP, was delivered to Air India Express in 2019. Engineers are currently working to identify and rectify the fault, though the airline has not provided a timeline for its return to service.

This is the second incident in recent months when a technical issue delayed an Air India Express flight.