Air India San Flight Makes Precautionary Landing in Mongolia Over 'Suspected Technical Issue'
Air India flight AI174 from San Francisco to Delhi, with a Kolkata stop, made an unscheduled landing in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, due to a suspected technical issue.
Air India confirmed on Monday that one of its services, travelling from San Francisco to Delhi with a scheduled stop in Kolkata, was forced to make an unscheduled landing in Mongolia. The diversion, which occurred on 2 November, was a precautionary measure taken by the flight crew following the suspicion of an in-flight technical issue.
The airline specified that the plane, identified as flight AI174, safely touched down at Ulaanbaatar, the capital of Mongolia. A spokesperson for the airline confirmed the situation, stating, "The aircraft landed safely at Ulaanbaatar and is undergoing the necessary checks. We are working closely with our partners to support all passengers while we make efforts to get everyone on their way to the destination at the earliest opportunity."
The national carrier expressed its regrets for the inconvenience caused to passengers due to the unexpected turn of events, reiterating a commitment to passenger safety: "At Air India, the safety of passengers and crew remains a top priority."
In an update, Air India stated that it has arranged meals and hotel arrangements for passengers after clearing immigration procedures and is making alternative arrangements to fly them back to Delhi.
"With the help of our partners and local authorities, Air India has extended immediate assistance to the passengers. They were served meals on board and have been disembarked. Hotel arrangements have been made for their stay after clearing immigration procedures at the airport, while Air India makes alternative arrangements to fly them to their destination, Delhi, at the earliest," the statement informed.
Extended Flight Duty Time for European Routes
In related news, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), India’s civil aviation regulator, recently granted Air India a temporary extension of Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) for its European routes. This adjustment specifically applies to two-pilot Boeing 787 Dreamliner operations.
The DGCA noted that the extension was necessitated by specific operational reasons arising from the closure of Pakistani airspace. This closure has compelled flights on European routes to follow significantly longer flight paths.
DGCA Rules Eased, With Caveats
Under the temporary approval, the Flight Duty Time Limitation (FDTL) for the two-pilot Boeing 787 operations has been increased to 10 hours and 30 minutes from the previous 10 hours. Correspondingly, the Flight Duty Period (FDP) has been raised to 14 hours from the earlier limit of 13 hours.
However, the civil aviation regulator has stipulated strict conditions for this extension. The DGCA clarified that the permitted extension of "up to 30 minutes in flight time and up to one hour in FDP will apply only in cases where duty periods extend after departure and not during flight planning." This ensures that the extended duty period is utilised only when unforeseen circumstances during the flight necessitate it, and not as part of the initial flight schedule.
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