A potentially serious incident was averted at Mumbai airport on Tuesday night after an Air India aircraft preparing to depart for Delhi and an Air India (AI) Express flight that had just landed were found on the same runway.
According to PTI, the incident occurred around 10 pm. The Air India aircraft was getting ready for take-off when air traffic control (ATC) stepped in and instructed the crew to abort the departure after noticing another aircraft had not yet cleared the runway.
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No injuries or damage were reported, and both aircraft were brought under control safely.
ATC intervenes before take-off
Sources told PTI that the Air India Express flight had landed but was still on the runway when the Delhi-bound Air India flight began its take-off sequence on the same runway.
With both aircraft facing each other, ATC instructed the Air India crew to immediately discontinue the take-off run, preventing a possible runway accident.
The reason both aircraft were on the runway at the same time was not immediately known.
Air India confirms aborted departure
Air India later confirmed that its crew halted the take-off after receiving directions from air traffic control.
“The crew operating flight AI816 from Mumbai to Delhi on 7 July discontinued the take-off run after receiving an instruction to do so from the Air Traffic Control and returned to the bay,” the airline said.
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The carrier added that the aircraft would now undergo mandatory safety inspections before returning to service.
“The aircraft will undergo necessary checks as per standard operating procedures. Meanwhile, alternative arrangement is being made to fly the passengers to their destination at the earliest,” the airline said.
Expressing regret over the disruption, the airline said, “Air India regrets the inconvenience caused to passengers due to this unforeseen situation. At Air India, the safety and wellbeing of our passengers remain top priority.”
Aircraft involved
According to PTI, flight AI816 from Mumbai to Delhi was scheduled to be operated by a Boeing 777-300ER wide-body aircraft.
The Air India Express aircraft involved, flight AIX1547, had arrived from Siliguri and was being operated using a Boeing 737 MAX 8.
Authorities have not yet clarified what led to the runway conflict, and further checks are expected as part of standard operating procedures.
FAQs:
What happened at Mumbai airport?
An Air India flight aborted take-off after ATC noticed an Air India Express aircraft was still on the same runway.
Were there any injuries or damage in the incident?
No. There were no reports of injuries or damage to either aircraft.