Frankfurt-bound Air India flight returns to Delhi after cabin loses air pressure at 20,000 ft; all passengers safe

An Air India plane with around 191 passengers onboard witnessed a mid-air crisis on Wednesday afternoon when its cabin suffered a decompression at 20,000 feet.

By : ABP News Bureau | Updated at : 07 Mar 2019 08:56 AM (IST)

Air India flight to Frankfurt returns Delhi after cabin loses air pressure at 20,000 ft; all passengers safe Frankfurt-bound Air India flight returns to Delhi after cabin loses air pressure at 20,000 ft; all passengers safe

Air India issued an official statement saying that all passengers including the cabin crew are safe. (Image: ANI)

Air India flight returns to Delhi after cabin loses air pressure

Air India plane had 191 passengers onboard

The Boeing 787 flight took off from Delhi at around 1:35 pm

New Delhi: An Air India plane with around 191 passengers onboard witnessed a mid-air crisis on Wednesday afternoon when its cabin suffered a sudden drop of air pressure at an altitude of 20,000 feet shortly after taking off, news agency ANI reported. The Frankfurt-bound flight then returned safely to Delhi’s Indira Gandhi International airport. The Boeing 787 flight took off from Delhi at around 1:35 pm and lost the cabin pressure after taking off and reaching an altitude of 20,000 feet, an official said. As per reports, the decompression started when the flight reached Rajasthan airspace and was forced to return to the national capital at around 4 am. Soon after the incident was reported, the national air-carrier issued an official statement saying that all passengers including the cabin crew are safe and it is committed to maintaining highest standards of passengers comfort and safety. “The flight will now operate with a change of aircraft at 0600hrs on 7th March from Delhi. All passengers are safe and are being extended all assistance at Delhi. Air India is committed to maintaining highest standards of passenger comfort and safety,” Air India spokesperson said.

Cabin decompression on Air India Delhi to Frankfurt flight(Boeing 787) at 20,000 feet. Aircraft took off today at 1:35 pm and returned to Delhi from Rajasthan airspace at around 4 pm. Around 191 people were onboard, all safe pic.twitter.com/Hn6ADzjPob
— ANI (@ANI) March 6, 2019

Soon after the incident was reported, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah took a dig at the airlines, after it earlier this week made it mandatory for the cabin crew to say ‘Jai Hind’ after every announcement.

I’m glad everyone is safe. I can’t resist asking if the crew remembered the compulsory slogan while asking passengers to use their oxygen masks. Of course with the correct pause & the right amount of emphasis. https://t.co/lEiD7PQv5W
— Omar Abdullah (@OmarAbdullah) March 6, 2019

“I’m glad everyone is safe. I can’t resist asking if the crew remembered the compulsory slogan while asking passengers to use their oxygen masks. Of course with the correct pause & the right amount of emphasis,” Abdullah wrote on Twitter. The dip in air pressure also known as decompression occurs due to a low level of oxygen in the atmosphere and at high altitude, the air density is very thin which decreases the level of oxygen need for human consumption. Therefore, an aircraft has to maintain an internal cabin pressure so that passengers do not suffer adverse effects.

Published at : 07 Mar 2019 08:56 AM (IST)