E-Paper
London-bound Air India flight delayed after ants huddle at business class
Ants were found in the business class section right before the flight was on the verge of taking off from the airport. Later, Air India changed the aircraft and substituted it with another Boeing 787-8.
An Air India flight about to depart from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) at 2pm on Monday delayed its take off by more than three hours after a swarm of ants was noticed in the business class.
After the issue was addressed, the AI-111 flight departed from the airport at 5.20pm, people familiar with the development said.
Ants were found in the business class section right before the flight was on the verge of taking off from the airport. Later, Air India changed the aircraft and substituted it with another Boeing 787-8.
An Air India flight about to depart from Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) at 2pm on Monday delayed its take off by more than three hours after a swarm of ants was noticed in the business class.
After the issue was addressed, the AI-111 flight departed from the airport at 5.20pm, people familiar with the development said.
Ants were found in the business class section right before the flight was on the verge of taking off from the airport. Later, Air India changed the aircraft and substituted it with another Boeing 787-8.|#+|
Among the passengers onboard the plane was Prince of Bhutan Jigme Namgyel Wangchuck – the son and heir apparent of King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck.
Also Read | 'Windshield crack': Air India Express flight makes emergency landing in Kerala
This isn’t the first time that invasion caused inconvenience in Air India’s flight operations.
In May this year, an Air India flight (AI-105 DEL-EWR) en route Newark Airport in the US, had to turn back to Delhi after a bat was spotted inside the aircraft’s business class area. The discovery was made 30 minutes after the departure from the IGI Airport.
Wildlife staff were called to catch the bat, while passengers were moved to another Air India plane that landed in Newark at 11.35am local time.
(With inputs from agencies)
