Flight to London from Delhi (Air India) abruptly halted mid-takeoff due to a technical issue.

In a string of technical incidents that have plagued Air India this July, another setback occurred today as flight AI2017 from Delhi to London aborted take-off at Delhi’s Terminal 3 due to a technical snag detected during taxiing.

The Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner, which was carrying approximately 200 passengers, came to a halt on the runway, causing loud braking noises. Passengers felt a mix of confusion and relief as the aircraft taxied back to the bay. The pilots followed emergency standard operating procedures (SOP) to stop the aircraft.

This incident, which took place at Indira Gandhi International Airport (IGI) in Delhi, is the third such incident involving Air India this month. The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has been investigating Air India for several violations, including crew training and maintenance checks.

The DGCA conducted an audit from July 1-3 that flagged 51 safety lapses in Air India’s operations. Shortcomings related to pilot simulator checks, excessive flight duty periods, and insufficient cabin crew on ultra-long-haul flights were among the issues highlighted. The DGCA’s findings raise concerns about regulatory compliance and operational safety standards within Air India as of July 2025.

However, Air India stated that precautionary inspections on Boeing aircraft’s fuel control switches found no issues following a related crash investigation. Initial observations suggest a fault relating to inconsistency between the aircraft's sensors.

The DGCA has flagged that the aircraft needs to be assessed in detail, and their findings should take no more than 48 hours. An alternate aircraft is being considered for departure to London by 3:30 PM IST.

This incident adds to the series of technical incidents that Air India has experienced in July 2025. On July 25, an Air India flight from Jaipur to Mumbai returned to Jaipur about 18 minutes after take-off due to a midair technical fault. On July 21, an Airbus A320 Neo flight from Delhi to Kolkata aborted take-off while taxiing due to a technical issue.

Additional incidents in July and June included aborted or returned flights from Delhi to Ranchi (June 17) and Delhi to Vadodara (June 15), as well as aborted Singapore flights (May 31) and a return from Calicut to Doha (July 23).

The Tata Group, which is leading Air India's transformation, will be closely watching these developments to see if anything has improved, systemic or otherwise. The safety and operational challenges faced by Air India in recent months have raised concerns about regulatory compliance and operational safety standards within the airline.

The technical incident experienced by Air India's Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner on the flight from Delhi to London involves the finance sector, as the airline may face increased costs due to the aborted take-off, subsequent inspections, and possible compensation for affected passengers.
The series of technical incidents involving Air India, including the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner incident, raises questions about the industry's adherence to safety standards, particularly in aviation, as the pattern of incidents suggests a systemic issue, which is under investigation by the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA).

Flight to London from Delhi (Air India) abruptly halted mid-takeoff due to a technical issue.